Sweetness To Run & Hide
by IntrepidVixen
Summary: This story is entirely different than the Twisted show that we have come to know. In this story Danny gets accused of setting fire to his Aunt Tara's house and she dies. He gets acquitted of the crime because it was considered an accident and he leaves Green Grove. Five years later he comes back and we see how the trio of Jo, Danny and Lacey adjusts to his return.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own anything Twisted...obviously. lol

**Backstory: **This story is entirely different than the Twisted show that we have come to know. In this story Danny gets accused of setting fire to his Aunt Tara's house and killing her. The fire is determined to be an accident, however Danny stops talking for 2 years. He is sent away to Arizona for 5 years to live with his grandmother after his mother suffers a nervous breakdown and his dad disappears. And then his grandmother becomes ill and dies when Danny is 16. He is then sent back to Green Grove to live with his mother who is now deemed fit to raise him.

"Look, it's the fucking fire starter!" Someone muttered as Danny walked slowly up the steps of Green Grove Academy. He stumbled a little bit on the top step as he opened the door with a tug. The action blew his shoulder length hair out of his face and it was if time stopped.

All conversation muted down to dull whispers as Danny entered the school hallway. It appeared that a thousand eyes were trained on his face. He suddenly felt sick. He tried to look anywhere but directly at all of those faces staring intently at him. The girls stared openly like they wanted to jump his bones. Their eyes scanned him from foot to head with lust filled eyes. The boys looked like they wanted to fight him as they enviously looked on.

Danny was really starting to feel an anxiety attack coming on. His palms started to sweat and he was praying to just keep his feet moving on the linoleum. Suddenly his eyes spotted a familiar blonde head among the crowd. She came running up to him and soon he was embraced into her arms tightly.

"Oh, my God, Desai! I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to start thinking that you could really be back after all of these years!" Jo rambled as she stopped to take in this new Danny that she hadn't seen in such a long time. Danny finally let out the breath he just realized that he was holding and embraced her back firmly.

"Jo, you still look the same but different." He took in her straightened blonde locks that fell a little past her shoulders. Her black conductor's cap was pulled low over her blue eyes. She was wearing bootcut jeans and boots with a nice argyle sweater and blazer to match. He couldn't believe this was his Jo.  
Jo who used to never comb her hair and wore clothes 3 times too big and clunky brown boots everywhere they went. His Jo had turned into a very lovely young woman indeed. He didn't want to look at her chest but seeing Jo with boobs was disarming to say the least. They weren't all hanging out but he could tell that she had them.

Jo looked at Danny carefully. He was absolutely gorgeous. His black hair was long and loose. He wore a brown leather jacket over a nice pair of dark blue jeans and black boots. His sweater was navy blue. She knew Danny was going to grow up to be handsome. He had those exotic good looks that girls couldn't help but adore. He had one side of his hair pushed behind his ear to reveal a small hoop earring. His long eyelashes covered deep, soulful, brown eyes that were more mocha at times than chocolate. She smiled to herself remembering that saying her and Lacey would say about him from their childhood.

"Welcome to Green Grove Academy," Jo said still smiling. "C'mon shy boy, let's give you a tour!" She gripped Danny's arm and wheeled him down the hallway away from the prying eyes and ears of the students who found Danny interesting but not so interesting that they couldn't resume their lives.

Danny actually felt relief wash over him listening to Jo talk about every area of the school grounds. She singled out the gym, cafeteria, auditorium and where each and every one of his classes were. He shared two with Jo and two with Lacey.

Just the mere mention of her name perked him up slightly. "Where is Lacey, Jo? I didn't see her come in this morning."

"Oh, she's here. She came in with Archie, her boyfriend. He drives that flashy new black Camaro over there." Jo pointed towards the parking lot and sure enough there was a black on black Camaro parked over by the baseball fields. Danny only stared at the car as he imagined what Archie was like. Probably some asshole he thought.

"C'mon, let's get you to your first class. It's with me. Chemistry with Mrs. Dawson. She doesn't like tardiness." Jo took his hand and led him off to class.

"Babe, you know how I like the luscious," Archie exclaimed grabbing Lacey from behind and kissing her nosily all over her neck.

Lacey giggled and swatted at him. "Not at school. I like giving you the luscious but I'm about to be late for Bio. See you at lunch, ok?" She blew Archie a kiss and he pretended to catch it. Sarita rolled her eyes.

"Oh, someone shoot me now. That shit is stupid!"

"And that's exactly why you don't have a boyfriend now, Sarita." Phoebe chimed in with a wink.

"Whatever! You've only been on one date with Chris and you're acting like y'all are serious or something," Sarita shot back with a huff. She walked quickly away from the group of girls to their table in the cafeteria.

"Go easy on her, Phoebe. It's not easy for Sarita…you know being that bitchy all the time and all," Regina cackled rolling her eyes dramatically. "Holy…SHITTTTTTTTTTTT!" Regina muttered all of a sudden stopping in her tracks. "Who is that with Masterson?"

"Who? Let me see?" Phoebe cried pushing ahead so she could see who or what Regina was gawking at. "Oh, my! That's lovely." Phoebe replied excited.

Lacey only smiled as she looked into the direction her friends were looking in. Her heart nearly skidded to a standstill within her chest. "Danny?"

"Who?" Regina asked. She then smacked her head slightly. "THAT Danny. Danny Desai who 5 years ago killed his aunt in that terrible fire that nearly burned the entire block down. I heard of him. Damn, Lacey I forgot that you were friends with him and Masterson way back when. Shit, he's fine as hell now though. Goodness."

Lacey's head turned slightly to the side and then she looked Danny up and down. He was handsome. His hair was longer now. She thought about the last time that she saw him. It had been years. They had to have been only 11 or 12 then. Gone was his cute cheeks and pouty mouth, the boyish air of him. She took in his clothes and how his body filled them out. She hadn't anticipated how seeing him again would make her feel. She had a boyfriend for goodness sakes. She hadn't realized she was staring at him until he suddenly looked in her direction. He didn't blink. He didn't wave. His eyes slowly perused her frame. He started with her shoes. She had on black Puma wedge sneakers. He eyed them slowly and went from her ankles to her knees. Her legs were encased in black skinny jeans. He then went from her waist to her neck. He took in her black and white sheer poke-a-dotted blouse with the black camisole underneath. She topped that off with a black cable knit sweater with toggle buttons and scarf around her neck. Finally he looked at her face. She had minimal makeup on. Some eyeliner and mascara, blush and lip-gloss. Everything applied was very subtle. She had diamond studs in her ears and her hair was loose with big flowing curls falling like a waterfall down her back. His eyes caressed her mouth and her lips parted as if he kissed her. He noticed her eyes again. She had on square-framed glasses but he could still see the rich color brown of her irises. He blinked then looked away.

"What the hell was that about?" Regina retorted with her arms crossed, tapping her foot.

"Wha—What—What—was about?" Lacey stammered.

"Did you two just have eye sex from across the courtyard? That was intense Porter and before you get any ideas, I'm claiming that for myself. Mama likes and I'm gonna get me some!" She laughed marching herself in the direction of Jo and Danny.

Lacey took a deep breath to collect herself. Seeing Danny again had disarmed her. She didn't realize that he was coming back to school today. She had avoided driving down his street to get to her house for months now. She felt awful about doing it but she couldn't help it. She had distanced herself from Jo because seeing Jo reminded her of Danny and the Three Amigos. That's what they used to call themselves. It was too much for her to handle being an eleven-year-old and dealing with feelings of attraction for Danny and then having him out of her life for 5 years. She realized she was a little hurt and put off about him not writing her either. She wrote him in Arizona but she never got not one letter back. And there was Jo laughing and talking with Danny like ole times. It pissed her off because he left their lives in shambles and didn't even provide an explanation for it. Lacey lifted one eyebrow. Well he was going to get a piece of her mind.

"Danny, this is my buddy Rico. Rico, Danny." Jo made introductions of Rico and Danny as if the two young men would become fast friends.

Rico looked up from his essay and glanced up at Danny and then back to Jo and then back to Danny again. "Hey, Danny," he said shaking Danny's hand nervously.

"I'm…umm studying. I seem to be always studying. We already have a test this Friday in English. I really do need to bring my GPA up this year and…"

"Well hellooooooooo, Mr. Desai. My name is Regina Galston. And you're absolutely breathtaking if I do say so myself. And I definitely do," Regina added looking Danny up and down like she wanted to suck the marrow from his bones. She hadn't even cared that she cut Rico off in mid-sentence. She offered Danny her hand for a shake.

Danny took it and gave her a slight nod with his head. "Nice to meet you," he said dropping her hand. He looked into her too made up face. She was actually attractive but she was done up too much. Her perfume was too heavy, her clothes too short and tight. Heels too high. She had perfectly manicured nails and her teeth were too white. Her hair was in a high ponytail and bounced around her head every time she spoke. Danny didn't like her. He wasn't interested in her touching him or smiling at him, but she kept doing a lot of both. She introduced him to a sullen girl named Sarita Santiago who cussed a lot and who overall didn't seem like that nice of a person. Next was Phoebe Jeffries who just giggled and awed over him and he thought that she was too overly dramatic. And then…

"Hi Danny. Long time no hear from," Lacey sliced into the realm of his vision like a knife. He felt her approach before he saw her. The glasses made her look more studious. Made her eyes more captivating to him. He felt himself staring at her and only her. He knew they were about to get into it.

"Hey Lace," he whispered. His voice came out huskier than he intended but he was the only one in her life who ever called her Lace. "It has been a long time. You look different. Good different," he replied with a genuine smile.

Lacey was taken aback at how beautiful he looked up close. The smile did it. He was staring at her like he was anticipating her every move.

"Hey, Jo. Rico," Lacey looked away to address her former best friend and the geeky guy who she chose to hang out with. "Hey Lacey." They both said in unison.

"May I talk to you for a moment?" she asked Danny.

Danny looked at her in surprise as Regina continued to stare at Danny like a piece of meat.

"Umm…yeah. Jo excuse us for a minute, ok?"

"Sure, Desai. Lacey, be nice ok?" Jo pleaded with Lacey. She knew that look in Lacey's eyes. Her and Danny were about to get into an argument. When it happened when they were younger Lacey would break out crying and screaming at Danny and Danny would get all flustered and want to punch something. And it was always over silly things. Danny would pull Lacey's hair or push her off of the swing. It didn't happen often but sometimes he would do stupid things boys did when they liked you. Jo grew pensive watching her former best friend and other best friend walk off towards the bleachers with a fine distance between them.


	2. Chapter 2

Lacey walked quickly ahead of Danny but she could hear the crunch of his boots directly behind her on the ground. She didn't know what she was doing but she was pissed at him and she wanted him to know it. When they were finally out of earshot or visual range, she turned around suddenly to face him.

Too suddenly it would seem since she didn't realize Danny was still walking and hadn't stopped when she stopped. He walked right into her and she would have fallen had he not have captured her around the waist. He even straightened out her glasses which had become lopsided due to their entanglement.

"Thank you, Danny." Lacey said a little flustered and she realized he was still holding her waist. "You can let go now," she said looking at him.

"God, I missed you," Danny uttered. "I really did. I missed you and Jo so much. I missed this face. Your face. You're so pretty, but then again you always were," Danny said still holding her waist. He slowly walked her backward towards a secluded spot near the far right bleachers and a huge oak tree. He leaned into her, taking all of her vision.

"I have a boyfriend. His name is Archie," Lacey said.

"I know," Danny simply replied. "Tell me what you want to tell me." He still hadn't let go of her waist yet and she was starting to get warm, her resolve diminishing.

"I wrote you countless letters when you were in Arizona. You never wrote back. Why?"

Danny continued to stare at her. He took his time forming his answer, his eyes slowly roaming her face.

"Stop looking at me like that," she physically squirmed a little under his close observation.

"Like what?" he replied smirking a little again.

"Like you want to kiss me," Lacey admitted. They were completely concealed by the tree and the stands now and he still hadn't answered her question. He instead reached up and untied her scarf. He touched the fabric of it as it laid against her chest.

"I thought of you every day for five years. I got every single one of your letters and I still have them. I read them often but I couldn't seem to write you back. And then you stopped. I stopped talking for two years after the incident. I…it was too much for me to take. I was in a hospital for a little while and I'm still in therapy. I'm so sorry Lace that I never wrote you but I can recite entire letters written by you to me because that's how many times I read them."

"Danny," Lacey started.

"I especially remember your last one. The one where you told me that that would be the last time that you wrote me. The one where you told me that you and Jo weren't really talking anymore."

"Why'd you come back, Danny?"

His eyes went to her mouth and he used his thumb to trace her upper and lower lips. "I came back to rebuild. To get back what I lost. I came back for Jo and for you. I came back for this."

He leaned in and took her mouth slowly, deliberately with ease. He took his time, he wanted to reacquaint himself with her. He hadn't thought that he would kiss her right away but he didn't care that her friends were wondering when they would be back or that she had a boyfriend. He wanted this moment and he took it for himself.

Lacey's mouth moved under his on their own. Her arms came up to wrap around his neck while his other arm came around her waist. He grasped her neck gently to deepen the kiss as his tongue found its way into her mouth. She couldn't think. Her brain had gone all warm and fuzzy and then his head tilted to the side and trailed kisses down her face and jaw. He was kissing on her neck when he noticed it. It was the necklace he had given her for her eleventh birthday. Lacey loved dolphins and this one had a dolphin on it with the letter L for her name.

"I never take it off," Lacey said as she saw him looking at her necklace. "I missed you so much, Danny. The way things used to be." She didn't realize that she began to cry until Danny reached up to remove a tear with his index finger.

He cupped her face into his hands. "Does Archie make you happy? Does he kiss you like you like to be kissed? Makes you laugh? Does he eat your cooking?" Danny said laughing.

Even Lacey had to laugh at that. She was a horrible cook but she was learning and she took her hand to push him in the chest but he didn't budge. Under her palm was rock hard, chiseled muscle. Her lips parted again.

"We better get back. Regina has her eye on you and I feel terrible for kissing you just now."

Danny grabbed her hand and blocked her path from sidestepping him. "I'm not interested in Regina or any other female. I want you."

Lacey's mouth fell open. He said it matter-of-factly like discussing how the sky is blue or how kangaroos have pouches.

"Danny, I have a boyfriend. I'm not available. This kiss was a…."

"Don't lie to yourself, Lace. Don't make excuses of how you feel or what's between us. What's always been between us. You're going to say it was a mistake but I felt it and I know you did too."

"Danny we….you don't want me. You just haven't seen me in a while and it's…"

Danny silenced her with his mouth. It came crashing on top of hers like a wave. The boy could kiss. She allowed herself to get a little jealous wondering who was the chick that he had been practicing with.

"Danny stop!" Lacey said pulling away. "I'm cheating on my boyfriend and this isn't right. I don't know what the hell I'm doing." She shook her head and glanced away from his beautiful face.

"Meet me at the fort tonight at 10. I'll be waiting for you."

"Danny, I can't. I have a boyfriend. I can't keep kissing you and sneaking off to rendezvous with you deep in the woods." She turned her back on him to walk away but she felt him move before he actually did. He clutched her around the waist and embraced her from the back.

"I've waited five years to see you and Jo. Five years to hold you and talk to you, to look at you and yes to even kiss you." His hands were massaging her shoulders. She found it incredibly arousing. Her eyes rolled closed as he whispered in her ear. "Meet me tonight." He captured her earlobe and Lacey gasped. She clenched her thighs together.

"Yes, I'll meet you. Oh, Danny please stop," she was almost begging him to stop before making out by the bleachers became a reality or someone was to walk up on them. He pulled her against him and smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**I wanted to thank everyone for their views and comments and some of you have even made my story one to follow and added it to your favorites. I am immensely grateful to all of you. Thank you for your patience as well. I'm still working steadily on this story all while working as well so please bear with me. Again, thank you! :)**

Regina looked at Lacey carefully. Lacey hadn't said too much since she got back from her talk with Danny earlier before lunch. She was sitting in Physics class staring out of the window.

"Hey," Regina whispered. "What's going on with you?"

Lacey swallowed before turning fully towards Regina and her nosiness. "I'm fine. I'm just thinking about volleyball practice this afternoon. You know defending our championship from last year is a big deal to Coach."

Regina gawked audibly. "Oh, please. You came back with a flushed face. Did y'all make out or something? Something went down between you two and that's pretty obvious. I want to know what's up! Spill!"

Lacey was writing down notes and really wasn't paying attention to Regina and she didn't feel like explaining how when she kissed Danny she felt her world shift. She didn't want to admit it to herself how she had wanted it. There was always an attraction between the two of them and on that fateful day when the fire broke out and he had went away, a part of her actually shut down for a while. She had missed him so much and it was wonderful to just talk with him again and when he kissed her, she didn't want it to end.

But she had this new life now with these new people whom she had come to care about and she had Archie, who she had been dating for 6 months. He had pursued her since they were freshman and she finally gave in. She liked Archie. She liked his zest for life, his sparkling green eyes and he was Captain of the lacrosse team. She was mostly attracted to him because he was so unlike Danny. He wasn't pensive or closed up. He didn't have a dark past or any skeletons in his closet. He was a typical jock and he was normal for lack of a better word.

Lacey caught the tail end of what Regina said. "There's nothing to spill. We're two friends who had a much needed conversation and we finished it. There's nothing to tell."

Regina continued to stare at her over her book. "Ok, cool because I'm going for him and I'm going to get him if it takes me all school year. I know he's an old friend of yours and I don't want there to be any hard feelings when we become the new IT couple," Regina said checking her hair in her mirror. "Oh, and I'm throwing a Back to School party tonight. Your presence is requested and I'm inviting Danny and Jo and that little boy Rico that she tags along with."

Lacey swallowed. She knew there was no getting out of going to this party since her and Regina were best friends and she had never missed a party before.

Lacey sighed. "What the hell? Sure. What could go wrong?"

"How was school today?" Karen asked as Danny came striding into the house. She noticed that he seemed more at ease coming back home from school then he did on his way out.

"It wasn't half bad once I saw Jo. She looks great. I think that guy she hangs out with, Rico has a thing for her though. I saw Lacey. She looks great too and we talked. I got invited to some girl named Regina Galston's party tonight as well. I don't want to go but Lacey will be there and Jo so I'll have someone to talk to at least."

Karen perked up after hearing how Danny met up with Jo and Lacey. She was hoping that they all could be friends again but she wasn't too sure about Danny going to Regina Galston's house for some party. She knew Regina's mom Patty and they used to travel in the social club circles before the incident happened and Karen left Green Grove. Now she had no friends and she was having a hard time finding a job.

She placed her wineglass on the table. "Well, if you want to go to the party, I think that's fine. Don't be out too late though. What time does the party start?"

"Regina told me 7 o'clock. I won't stay out too late though."

"Ok, I want you back here in the house and in bed by 12." She reached up to touch Danny's hair. He looked so much like his father. He looked nothing like her. Karen was blonde and blue eyed. Danny was olive skinned like his Indian father with his eyes and hair. She fell in love with Vikram so long ago and he still remained the only man she had ever loved.

"Jo and Lacey were always such beautiful little girls. I know they have blossomed into beautiful young women. You have to invite them over for movie night soon. I would like to see them again."

Danny smiled at his mother. "Sure mom I'll ask them soon." He resumed his walk to his room and laid down on his bed to think. He had kissed Lacey Porter. And not only that, she had kissed him back. He had dreamed of her so much during the past 5 years. Dreamed of how she would look and the kind of person she would become. He learned a lot about her today. She was the Captain of the girls' volleyball team and she was going with Archie Campbell. Archie was the Captain of the lacrosse team. Danny scoffed. They were the IT couple. He hoped that Lacey would be at Regina's tonight. His phone suddenly chimed.

He looked down at it and read the text message. It was from Jo.

**Party tonight at Regina's. You coming?**

Danny texted back. **Yep. I'll be there around 7:30. You?**

Jo texted back. **Sounds good. Rico and I will meet you there. You're gonna need bodyguards cuz Regina has seen you and she can't wait to get her claws in you.**

Danny made a face. **I figured as much. I'll let her down easy. I'm not interested. **

Jo texted back. **Oh, I know who you are interested in. Be careful Danny. You just got back. A lot has changed. Lacey has a boyfriend. Don't pursue this. Please.**

Danny stared at that message for a full five minutes before he responded. **Everything will be fine. See you in a few hours.**


	4. Chapter 4

Lacey couldn't decide what to wear. She eventually settled on a pretty pink Dsquared mini dress with a sweetheart neckline. She took a bag with her with jeans, a jacket, sweater, socks and sneakers in for changing to meet Danny later that night. What the hell was she thinking? She had a boyfriend. Archie wasn't coming to the party. He and Regina really didn't get along and she didn't feel like refereeing the both of them tonight. She swept her hair into a simple high ponytail, grabbed her bag and left the house.

The party was in full swing as Jo and Rico arrived. Jo parked her mom's car as Rico took a puff of his inhaler before getting out of the car.

"Rico, you aren't having an asthma attack. It's just a party. We'll stay for a couple of hours and then we'll roll to Johnny Cakes or something."

Rico put his inhaler in his jacket pocket. "I'm just being prepared, Jo. You never know. I feel like I can't breathe." Rico reached into his pocket again to grab his inhaler but Jo swatted his hand.

"Leave it! You're fine." Jo checked her lip-gloss and got out of the car. She was looking for Lacey's silver Volkswagen Beetle and right on cue she pulled up.

Jo opted for a dark blue off the shoulder top with dark jeans and black booties. She wore her hair down with a dark blue fedora. Her earrings rocked back and forth as she walked towards Lacey.

"Hey, Jo. Hey, Rico." Lacey smiled walking up to Jo. "Jo, nice outfit. You look awesome."

"Thanks Lacey. I love that dress. That color is hot!"

"Hey Lacey," Rico replied with a wave. "Let's do this," he exclaimed slipping in to walk between the two girls, linking their arms.

The party was in full swing as Danny stroked in a half an hour later. He walked straight into thumping bass and undulating bodies as it seemed like a sea of people were dancing in every corner of the house. Everyone seemed to have a red cup in hand as they throbbed to dubstep that reverberated through the house.

"Hey Danny! Over here!" He looked up and saw Jo motioning to him and he walked in that direction. He spotted something pink out of the corner of his eye and he stopped when he realized it was Lacey.

She danced in a group of about seven girls. He watched her body wind and twist while her skirt flared a little to show more than just a little leg. He stopped to admire her. Her dress showed more than a little cleavage and he noticed the fine sheen of sweat that had collected there. He licked his lips.

Lacey looked up and saw Danny staring at her. He smiled and kept walking in the direction of Jo and Rico.

"Hey, I thought I was going to have to text you or something. You look nice," Jo commented towards Danny as she eyed him up and down. Rico grunted out a hello to Danny before turning around and grabbing a cup of alcohol off of a tray. He gulped its contents down quickly choking on the liquid leaving a burning trail down his throat.

"You ok, man?" Danny asked thumping Rico on the back. "Take it easy with that stuff. You don't look like a drinker to me. Go easy."

"Uhh….thanks…Dan…Danny. I'm good. Thanks." Rico wiped some tears out of his eyes. He felt like such a whimp. He saw how Jo was looking at Danny like he was someone to be admired. Like he was a real man. He compared himself to Danny real quick. Danny looked about 5'11 with a nice build and healthy hair. He had that whole exotic thing going on but Rico was Italian so he knew that he could do dark and brooding too…ok well…not really. Danny had a way of looking at people so intensely that it was unnerving but when he smiled he instantly set you at ease. Rico sighed. He wished he was that kind of guy but he wasn't. He was a book worm and Jo loved that about him but he wanted to be the guy that got the girls.

"Well, well, well…he shows up…finally. Shame on you for keeping me waiting. You look good enough to eat," Regina appeared out of nowhere completely ignoring Rico and Jo. She wore a tight black dress with her hair loose and wild about her neck. "Here," she said handing him a red cup. "Drink up and follow me." She didn't wait for an answer as she grabbed Danny's arm and tugged him behind her to go up the stairs.

"Well damn. There goes that," Jo commented sipping from her own cup as she watched Danny get led to the slaughter by Regina.

Lacey saw Danny and Regina go upstairs and for some reason it unnerved her. She was downright pissed off at him for the second time today. She was angry with herself for being angry at him. She had no right. She had a boyfriend and it wasn't like she wasn't aware of Regina wanting Danny. He had quite a few admirers even though he was totally oblivious to all of them.

She decided to walk over and talk to Jo and Rico.

"So, you two enjoying yourselves?" Lacey said sidling up to Jo on her right side. Rico was already on his second drink and at this rate he was going to be drunk very soon.

"Yeah, it's another great party thrown by Regina," Jo's gaze went to the steps. Danny and Regina were still up there.

Lacey's gaze followed. "Regina and Danny would look ok together, right?" Lacey suddenly said. She wanted to bite her tongue off. She couldn't believe she just uttered that foolishness.

Jo gave her a look. "You don't actually believe that now, do you?"

Lacey put down her cup. "I'm dating Archie, Jo. Danny can date whoever he wants to date. So can Regina for that matter."

"What is in that cup you're drinking? Danny could never like someone like Regina and you know it. She's practically a man-eater. Give me a break, Lacey. He's in love with you and he's always been in love with you. I used to be so jealous of you two. I always knew. I know he loves me like a sister and I have come to terms with that. I love him too but you two have always been different. Always arguing and he used to beat up anyone who talked about you." Jo laughed. "You're in love with him too."

Lacey didn't know what to say. No one had voiced the feelings that she so carefully kept locked away and hidden. Truth be told she did love Danny. She didn't want to examine how deep that went. The three of them had been friends since they were five years old.

She cleared her throat. "Well, things change, Jo. People outgrow one another and new people come into their lives and…" she realized she was faltering on her point.

"Hey, where did Rico go?" Lacey asked.

Jo turned around to look at the spot where she left Rico sitting and sure enough he was gone. "Oh, shit!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to all who are reading and have favorited my story. I know this chapter is a little short but things do pick up so please bear with me and stay tuned. **

Danny tried to keep his face calm as Regina practically shoved him into her room. It was huge with windows taking up an entire wall. She had various volleyball trophies and quite a few pictures of her friends dotted her walls and nightstands. It was one particular one that he reached to pick up that showed her and Lacey on it wearing bikinis standing along the shoreline. Lacey's hair was wild about her head and she had on a black headband with a huge pink bow attached to it. Her two piece bikini hugged her body like a second skin. She was smiling wide giving the thumbs up sign. He knew she was going to have a great body. Her breasts were perfect. Not overly big or small. She had nice legs and thighs. He smiled at the picture as he put it down.

"Sooooooo, I noticed you didn't touch your drink. Are you a beer kinda guy?" Regina remarked. She took his cup and ran her tongue around the rim of it.

Danny wanted to gag. "Listen, Regina. Thank you for inviting me to your party and everything. I appreciate that as I don't have many friends, but I'm not interested in you in that way."

Regina blinked a full ten seconds before answering. "Excuse me? When I show interest in anything or anyone I get what I want. You're not interested in me in that way? What does that even fucking mean? I'm a catch. I come from money. I am a hot female. I am smart in school and get great grades. I have my own car. My parents let me do whatever I want. I'm attracted to you, Danny and let me just reiterate that I get whatever I want."

Danny chuckled a little bit in disbelief. "Regina, I'm not a prize to be won. You don't even know me. I'm like that shiny new toy that you see in the store window that you want but you only want it because it's new." Danny looked at his watch. It was time for him to get going so he could make it down to the fort to meet Lacey on time. He hoped that she would be there.

"I gotta go. Thank you for a lovely evening." And with that he was striding through her bedroom door. Regina's face looked completely befuddled as she sat down on her bed in rejection. She was determined not to give up.

Lacey and Jo had found Rico out on the front lawn slumped over in a drunken haze. "Oh, geez! Let me take this drunk guy home. This is ridiculous. Rico doesn't even drink." The two girls hoisted Rico up by his arms and half dragged him to Jo's mom's car. Lacey grabbed a paper bag and plastic bag from Regina's kitchen.

"Are you sure you can handle him? Do you need me to ride with you to make sure he's ok?" Lacey offered.

"No, I'm fine. We have the bags just in case he throws up. You go ahead and rescue our boo. I don't want Regina's clutches on our Danny, ok? And Lacey? I missed you too." Jo waved and eased the car out of the parking spot and moved slowly down the street.

Lacey watched the car round the corner and walked back into Regina's house. The crowd had thinned a little bit but there was still a lot of people there. Lacey grabbed her bag from her trunk and went into the half bathroom to change clothes. She emerged 10 minutes later with car keys in hand.

Danny was coming down the stairs as he saw Lacey leave out of the backdoor. He followed her. Regina saw Danny move in the direction of the backdoor as well.

"Hey, can I catch a ride?" Danny asked as he tapped lightly on Lacey's passenger car window. She jumped because she didn't hear him walk up.

"Sure. You scared the hell out of me." Danny got into the car, clicked his seatbelt and he and Lacey took off into the night.

Regina stood by the backdoor seething with envy.


	6. Chapter 6

_We can be royalssssssssssssss…_The song by Lorde was playing for the third time since Lacey and Danny had gotten into the car. Lacey reached over to turn off the radio.

They were ten minutes from getting to the fort and Lacey parked the car at a nearby park so that they could walk the rest of the way.

Upon entering the fort, Danny was taken aback how much nothing had changed in the five years since he last saw it. There were the old crates that he, Jo and Lacey used to sit on when they had their talks. There was the old fire pit and the handmade curtains that Mrs. Masterson made. Danny took in a deep breath and sat on the old stump that used to be his favorite spot.

"This place hasn't changed a bit," he remarked as Lacey went around turning on the battery powered lanterns that hung on the tree limbs.

"Yeah, Jo and I have kept it up all of these years. I haven't been here in months though."

Danny noticed her expression. "Why is that?"

Lacey didn't want to have this conversation. She didn't want to tell him that she and Jo really weren't friends at this point in their lives. She didn't want to tell him how she just shut Jo out of her life right along with him because that's how she dealt with the void that he left behind.

She sighed. "Danny, it was so hard when you left. One moment we were friends having fun and doing normal everyday things and then you were gone. I couldn't look at Jo anymore. All Jo did was cry and be depressed and I was depressed right along with her and I couldn't take it. I was the strong one. Or at least I thought I was. We both missed you so much and being around one another reminded us of you. We just…I just had to stop talking to her." She didn't look in Danny's direction as she spoke. What she was telling him came straight out of her personal journal entries and what she confided in her therapist.

"I never told her how sorry I was for doing that to her. She didn't deserve it."

Danny listened attentively and didn't interrupt Lacey talking because he knew it was hard on his two best friends. He just never could guess that they would end their friendship over him. That made him feel infinitely worse than he ever thought he could feel. He knew deep down that he had to make things right no matter what it costs him.

"Lacey don't blame yourself. You guys were eleven years old and y'all were left behind to pick up the pieces. I know there's anger there because it's my fault." Lacey started shaking her head. "Danny, I'm not blaming you at all."

"No, I should be blamed. It was my fault. If it wasn't for me none of this would have happened and you and Jo would still be talking to this day."

"I decided to stop talking to Jo, Danny. That was my decision. I knew she needed me and truth be told, I needed her too but I was so afraid. I started hanging out with a different group of friends and I abandoned her." Tears started to slide down Lacey's cheeks.

Danny reached over to wipe them away but Lacey pulled out of his reach. "Don't," she whispered but Danny was already moving before she could say anymore. He had her in her arms as she totally broke down sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, Lace. So sorry."

Lacey finally allowed herself to be comforted. She had never wanted to talk to anyone about her feelings. She just shut them off and began to write them down in her journals. Her mom decided that a therapist would help and Lacey started going to one but she still held back. With Danny, she didn't hold back. She forgot how easy it was to talk to him and have him near.

He soon had her laughing about their antics as children and she even told him how she met Archie.

"He's a nice guy, Danny. He really is," Lacey reiterated as they reminisced over some pictures that they found in one of the chests.

Danny stifled a pretend yawn. "I'm sure he is, Lace. He seems to be just another jock though. But, if you're happy, then that's all that matters, right? He looked down at her mouth. "Your lips didn't taste like you were happy."

Lacey bit her bottom lip remembering the taste of Danny's mouth on hers. She loved his mouth, always did.

"I…I got caught up in seeing you again after all of these years Danny. I'm not that kind of girl who cheats on her boyfriend. I'm just not."

Danny swallowed. "I know and I wouldn't want you to be either. That's not why I love you. I accept that you're in a relationship, Lace but I don't have to like it. I can't expect to come back into your life and suddenly we fall back into our routine. I would like to be a part of your life again. Even if it's a small part."

Lacey didn't know why she reached for his hand but she did and it felt warm and right within hers. "You're a lot of things, Danny but you've never been a small part of my life and you never will be." She kissed him softly on the cheek. "I'm glad you're home."


	7. Chapter 7

"Ugh! Alcohol is evil!" Rico muttered for the fifth time that day. He blanched at the bright fluorescent lights overhead.

Jo looked at her watch. "Here, take some more Tylenol." She shook two out into Rico's offered hand and he gulped them back with some water. "I bet now you will never drink ever again, huh?"

"Oh, my God if I ever smell alcohol again it will be too soon." Rico opened one eye to look at Jo who was watching Lacey and Archie make their way out of the library. Archie had one arm casually draped around Lacey's shoulders with the usual suspects of Phoebe and Sarita in tow.

"Tonight is Tuesday and that means Johnny Cakes tonight," Lacey turned with a dimpled smile towards Archie. She twined their fingers together as they walked down the hallway.

Archie moved their joined hands to his lips and kissed hers. "Aww, babe I forgot. I told Scott that I would drive him over to his tutor's house tonight. We can do Johnny Cakes on Wednesday instead. How's that?"

Lacey pouted. "Oh, it's just the first time that you brought that up about taking Scott to his tutoring session. I wasn't even aware Scott was being tutored."

Archie grinned sweetly. "Well, he doesn't want everyone to know. Besides, you didn't tell me how the party went last night. That guy Danny Desai is back. Your old friend. You never told me too much about him."

Lacey blinked one too many times at the mention of Danny's name. "The party was fine. It was a typical Regina Galston soiree. Hey, I gotta get to Bio. I'll see you later." Lacey kissed Archie quickly on the lips and headed off to her Biology class.

Danny watched the exchange between Archie and Lacey. Lacey always wore all of her emotions on her face. He could read her like a book. He knew that Archie really didn't know how deep the friendship between him and Lacey really went.

He spent the rest of the night thinking about the fort and how Lacey broke down for probably the first time in her life and they discussed things like no time had passed between them. He missed curfew but his mom didn't even mention it the next morning. She was just so delighted that he and Lacey were connecting.

Danny shrugged his backpack higher on his shoulder and continued walking down the hall.

"Hey, hey Desai. May I talk to you for a sec," A male's voice came from behind Danny.

Danny turned around to see Archie catching up to him.

"We haven't been properly introduced. You're in two of Lacey's classes, right?"

Danny knew Archie knew damn well that he and Lacey shared Creative Writing and Art. "Yes, we are."

Archie looked around until they weren't in earshot. "Listen, I don't know you other than you're that kid about 5 years who killed his aunt in a strange fire. I know you, Lacey and Masterson used to be tight but that was then and this is now. She's my girl."

Danny laughed suddenly. "So this is what this conversation is all about? You don't want me and Lacey to be friends again?"

Archie stared at Danny like he grew a second head. "I'm just letting you know how things run around here."

Danny nodded. "Well, Lacey's a big girl and I think she can make her own decisions. It was nice meeting you Archie, but I have English to get to." Danny marched off leaving Archie to stare at his back.

"That's just what I thought. A grade A asshole," Danny muttered as he continued his walk down the hallway.

"Rico got picked up early by his mom. I said no more drinking for him." Jo said as she bit into her taco.

"Aww, poor Rico," Lacey said as she bit into her burger. "He was hitting the drink pretty hard. I think he needed some liquid courage." Lacey winked at Jo.

"Huh? What did he need liquid courage for? I know everything there is to know about Rico. Besides you and Danny, he's my best friend."

Jo hadn't realized that she included Lacey as her friend again and Lacey beamed. She decided to sit with Jo since Rico went home sick. Sarita plopped down across from Jo and Phoebe sauntered over talking excitedly about some drug awareness school skit she had been tasked to direct.

"I mean it's not like they get just anyone to do it! Mr. Hanks must really trust me and this is going to be the best drug awareness skit this school has ever seen."

Sarita rolled her eyes and flicked her hair back with an agitated hand. "Phoebe does everything excite you? I'm writing the essay and calling it a happy day. No one wants to take part in doing some stupid ole skit in front of the entire school. That's just lame."

Jo's eyes skidded to Phoebe's face and saw how crestfallen she looked. "Honestly, Sarita do you ever get tired of being a bitch?"

Everyone's eyes landed on Sarita's face. Her expression didn't change. "No."

"I thought so," Jo retorted. She turned to face Phoebe. "I think it's a great idea, Phoebe. Count me in for whatever help you need. Add Rico Martinez's name as well."

"Yeah, mine too," Lacey said chiming in.

"And mine," Danny said walking up to the group and taking a seat next to Lacey. She glanced up at Danny and smiled as he took two of her fries and stuffed them into his mouth.

"Do you even know what we're volunteering for?" Lacey spoke.

"Nope and it doesn't matter. I think it's time for me to be a joiner. I'm all about a good cause." He took a few more of Lacey's fries as he unwrapped his own burger and bit into it, all while looking at Lacey.

"Ooooh, hello Mr. Desai." Danny didn't have to know who that syrupy voice belonged to. Regina placed her hands on Danny's shoulders. "Oh, wow! Someone works out."

Lacey looked up at Regina and then back at Danny. She knew everything about her reaction was wrong but she removed Regina's hands from Danny's back. "Down girl," Lacey said.

Regina flicked a look of surprise at Lacey. Danny blushed.

Jo muffled a laugh around her milkshake as she felt the tension surrounding Lacey and Regina.

"Ahh, well I find my presence is a little bit too much over here. I'll see y'all later," Regina said stomping off quickly.

"I shouldn't have done that," Lacey said smoothing her hair back. "I shouldn't have taken her hands off of you like that."

Danny looked intensely at Lacey. "I'm glad you did."


	8. Chapter 8

Regina was beyond pissed at Lacey but she knew that confronting Lacey right out in the open and causing a scene wasn't her thing. She sought out someone else whom she could use to get back at Lacey instead.

"Archie, may I see you for a second." Regina beckoned with a tilt of her head.

Archie rolled his eyes. "Make it quick Regina. I'm about to have lunch with Lacey."

Regina smiled brilliantly. "Oh, Lacey is more than busy holding court with old friends. You and I have business to discuss."

Archie looked over at the lunch table and saw Lacey sitting rather close with Danny and Jo. She was smiling and laughing and he'd never seen Lacey so animated before. She looked genuinely happy.

"See, what I mean? Lacey is yours remember? I want Danny and you want to keep Lacey. So, let's help one another," Regina whispered closely in Archie's ear.

"You're overreacting, Regina. I have nothing to worry about," but to be truthful Archie wasn't too sure about that. The way Danny was staring at Lacey with lingering glances and Lacey was staring back kind of had him second guessing.

"Don't be a damned idiot! I don't want to hurt Lacey but I'll tell her about what happened three months ago."

Archie looked at Regina's smug expression and shook his head. Three months ago at a party he and Regina had sex twice. He wished he could say he was drunk, that it was just one of those drunken hazes that he couldn't remember, but he did regret it somewhat. He and Lacey hadn't had sex yet and he was tired of waiting. Regina wasn't a slut but he knew that she was attracted to him once upon a time and it was something that just happened. Well, not really but still he never intended to hurt Lacey. It was just one of those secrets that he didn't want Lacey to know about. Damn Regina for bringing it up now.

"She'll stop being your friend too if you tell her," Archie countered.

Regina's expression faltered a bit. "Well, she will forgive me eventually. We have been friends for two years. You on the other hand won't ever get to deflower her."

"That's not all I want to do, Regina. I like Lacey. She's a great girl. I do have vested interest in her beyond sex."

Regina rolled her eyes dramatically. "Who are you kidding? Lacey is pretty with a great body and she's smart. She can only cement your status of being H.M.O.C. around here. Stop acting like you really care about her. You probably don't even know what her favorite color is."

Archie felt himself getting challenged. He smirked. "Well, your so-called friendship is only to cement your status as well. Everyone knows Lacey is well liked more than you are. You're considered the Ice Queen Bitch around here and you've only been friends for two years. It can't compare to her friends she used to have since she was five. We both have much to lose if you're planning what I think you're planning."

Regina hated to admit that Archie was still a little correct on some level. She snorted. "Whatever. I admit that you have brought up some valid points. I'm only friends with Lacey because I'd rather have her on my side than being my competition."

"Ok, what if I agree to do this. What then?" Archie asked.

"Well, you get your Lacey all to yourself and I get Danny."

"Why do you even want him?"

Regina blew on her nails and rubbed them on her collar. "Because I desire him and I see how Lacey looks at him. I don't mind having her as a friend to me rather than my competition, but I don't want her one-upping me either." She waited until she had Archie's gaze. "She looks at him in a way that she has never looked at you and you're too stupid to recognize it. Let me help you or Lacey finds out about our little tryst."

"Fine," Archie commented through gritted teeth.

Lacey pushed the doors of Johnny Cakes open with more force than necessary. She and Archie got into an argument. She had caught him in a lie about taking Scott to a tutoring session. When she mentioned said session to Scott, he looked completely bewildered about what Lacey was even talking about. She waited to bust Archie's lie later that day. He finally admitted that he was going to some rival school's practice session to talk to their coaching staff. Sure he petted Lacey up and baby talked her with his excuse but she really wasn't buying any of it. She stood like a statue as he hugged and kissed her. She pushed him off and said she thought they needed time a part. Archie felt like she was overreacting and she walked away and avoided him for the rest of the school day.

Good thing her and Jo were rediscovering their friendship because Jo invited her to Johnny Cakes with her. Of course Danny would be there as well. Lacey secretly smiled at that. Since Danny returned to Green Grove she felt a certain warmth from having him near again. It started at her toes and radiated throughout her entire body. She smiled at Jo and Danny as she took a seat next to Jo.

"You don't want to sit next to me?" Danny gestured to the seat next to him with a flourish. "I promise I don't bite."

Lacey grinned, dimples peeking. "It's not that Danny. Maybe I just want to look directly at you instead of turning my head."

Danny held her gaze and smiled slowly.

Jo rolled her eyes. "What am I going to do with you two?"

Lacey looked away first. "How's Rico feeling, Jo?"

"He's doing a lot better. He's grounded though. His parents don't play and when his mom found out that he was nursing a hangover, she went off. He's on lockdown for 2 weeks. He can go nowhere but school and home. No phone calls either and no visiting."

Danny whistled low. "Poor Rico. He really does like you a lot, huh Jo?"

"What? Rico and I have been friends for about 3 years. He has never expressed interest in me and I don't even think of him like that."

"Why not?" Lacey asked.

Jo really didn't have a good enough excuse. "I guess I never thought about him in that way. He's always been my study buddy and my confidant. He's quirky and nerdy and funny but I have never thought of him as anything but that."

The waitress came by their table and took their order. Twenty minutes later the teens were digging into their food.

"So, what about that guy Tyler, Jo. He's been eyeing you lately," Lacey commented sipping on her milkshake.

Jo looked up from eating her mashed potatoes. "Tyler Jeffries? Phoebe's brother? Oh, goodness no thank you. I don't trust him. Every time I see him, he always looks like he's just raided someone's secrets and he's ready to tell everyone what they are. No, thank you."

"Ok, so you made it clear that Tyler isn't your dream guy. So who is?" Lacey pressed.

Jo took a moment to think. Danny used to be her dream guy when she was seven. But she got over that eventually. She had started noticing how Lacey and Danny would act with one another. Something was blossoming between them and even though it hurt Jo in the beginning, she knew that Danny could never feel whatever he felt for Lacey, for her.

"I don't have a dream guy. I guess I want someone who is smart, funny and makes me laugh. I want someone who I can respect and who respects me."

Danny cleared his throat. "That kinda sounds like Rico to me."

Jo rolled her eyes and threw her napkin at Danny. "Whatever!"

"LACEY! We need to talk," Archie had just busted in the door of Johnny Cakes with his friend Scott and Brendan in tow.

Lacey rolled her eyes and continued sipping her milkshake. "Arch, I told you that we need space."

Archie glanced at Jo but his eyes settled on Danny. "Ok, is this your idea of space? You and this freakin' firestarting ass weirdo and your former bff all hugged up in the front booth for all to see? I have been patient Lacey and quite the gallant boyfriend to you. De Firestarter comes around with his dysfunction and you start acting funny!"

Before anyone could react, Danny jumped up and caught Archie mid-sentence with a jab to the gut. Archie immediately balled over squealing in pain. Brendan and Scott were speechless. They grabbed Archie before he hit the floor.

It happened so fast that no one else in the restaurant even saw it.

"You…mother…." Archie started to wheeze straightening up.

Lacey jumped up to help Archie. "Don't touch me!" Archie yanked his arm out of her reach. "You want to stay here with your old/new friends go right ahead. But, just so you know, you can't have it both ways. I'll make sure of that." And with that parting remark, Brendan and Scott helped a limping Archie out of the restaurant.

"Whoa, Desai. Where'd you learn to fight?" Jo asked in astonishment.

"It's a long story, Jo. I'll tell you one day."

"Did you have to hit him, Danny?" Lacey sat back down biting on her lower lip. She was deep in thought, Danny thought. He knew that look. He'd seen it in his dreams for the past five years. The biting of the lip signified angst and confusion tempered with focused contemplation. His Lacey still remained the same in some ways.

Danny calmly looked at Lacey before he spoke. "Your boyfriend was being a dick, Lace. He needed to be put in his place. And this goes without saying but you deserve so much better. Hell, being by yourself is comparably better than being with that meathead."

"Well said, Desai," Jo chimed in picking up her root beer float and clicking it with Danny's glass in solidary salute.

Lacey couldn't deny that Jo and Danny were right. With all of the traits that she felt Archie had that made him normal came some traits that made him insufferable as well. He had a jealous streak and he had a temper. Sometimes he could be too pushy and demanding and other times too needy and whiny. Lacey just wanted everyone that was in her life to get along. She chanced a look at Danny who started to laugh at some joke Jo made. She had always loved his laugh. It was infectious and his eyes would slant closed when he was really tickled. She shook her head. Truly, what was wrong with her?


	9. Chapter 9

Regina caught her phone on the fourth ring. "What? I'm busy. Who's this?" She rudely answered.

"It's me," Archie said still clutching his stomach a little. He gritted his teeth.

"Oh, I don't have you in my contacts. What do you want?" Regina said with a yawn.

"I want to wipe the floor with that asshole, Desai. That's what I want. He sucker punched me just now in Johnny Cakes in front of Lacey and she just stood there staring. I think she's cheating on me."

Regina stopped feigning like she was busy and listened intently. "Is that a fact? Listen very carefully Archibald Campbell. I will dig some info out of Lacey and see if she's hooking up or not with Danny. In the meantime, you stick to Lacey like glue. You don't let her out of your sight. You join that dumbass drug awareness skit that Phoebe is in charge of and you stick with it. I don't care how much you hate it."

Archie only huffed totally pissed off and humiliated that he let Danny best him in front of his girl and Lacey just stayed seated there like nothing happened.

"Ok, fine but you better make sure whatever plan you have works.

Regina smiled knowingly. "Oh, I know what I'm doing. It'll work. Just let me handle everything."

"Ok, Jo can you and Rico handle audio and visuals with Sarita and Leo. Go find Doug and Elisa, please. They are my co-directors and I need you guys to help run this little video filled with angst and teenage goodness. Lacey, you and Danny follow me over here. Lacey you're over here seated and Danny walks in…"

"Do you need any more help?" Archie sauntered in with Scott and Brendan in tow interrupting Phoebe giving instructions.

"Oh!" Phoebe said excitedly. "Sure!" "I need some props to be moved for the party scene. Perfect, thanks Archie."

"Hey, Arch. I thought you were writing the essay?" Lacey said as Archie walked over and kissed her quickly on the lips.

"Well, I decided that I wanted to take an active part in this year's drug awareness campaign. So, here I am."

Lacey raised her eyebrows. "Archie, that's a nice gesture, but are you sure this has nothing to do with Danny being in the skit?"

Archie looked over at Danny who looked him over with a smirk. "Of course not. This is about you and me and how I know that I don't spend enough time with you. I'm sorry about last night by the way. I shouldn't have disrespected you like that."

Lacey was so surprised. "Okay, thanks. I appreciate that. I just want everyone who I care about to get along. Danny isn't your enemy. He is my friend and he may never be your favorite person but let's try to get along, ok?"

Archie plastered on a fake smile and kissed Lacey quickly again. "Sure, babe. Whatever you say."

"Hey Desai!" Archie called with a wink and smile. "No hard feelings, eh?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "None at all, Archie."

Archie kept smiling as he walked away with his boys in tow to move some tables that Phoebe needed.

"So, things with you and that Desai dude are just squashed just like that?" Scott said in a hushed tone.

Archie's face turned sour. "Hell no! And they will never be squashed. But, I can't let Lacey think otherwise because she's mine and she's staying mine." He looked over at Brendan. "Brendan, does your sister still do a little office work for Principal Randolph during fifth period?"

Brendan looked at Scott and then back to Archie. "Yeah, why?"

Archie smiled mischievously. "I'm going to need her to pull Desai's file for me. It's time that we found out who he really is."

Brendan swallowed audibly. "I don't want my sister getting caught, Archie. She helped us avoid detention once or twice by losing paperwork but if Danny's file goes missing they aren't going to let that one slide."

Archie petted Brendan on the shoulder. "Naw, she doesn't have to steal the file and bring it to us. She can make a copy of it and give it to me. No one will suspect that she did a thing."

Brendan nodded with a grin. "Sure, Arch she can do it. I'll text her right now."

"Hey, Scott. I need you to do me a favor too," Archie said suddenly getting another idea. "I need you to hustle it on down to the main library and find whatever articles you can find on that Desai fire five years ago. Find out where that asshole went off to. He probably really did kill his aunt and made it look like an accident. I don't put nothing past him. He's sneaky. Something about him ain't right."

Scott nodded. "Ok, no problem. I'll go afterschool."

Archie fell back into the shadows to watch Danny and Lacey undisturbed. Something was settling between them. An ease of movements and lingering glances. A touch here or there. A look. A secret smile. Lacey responded with ease to whatever Danny was saying and her look was one he had never seen before. It looked like…Archie gulped…strangely like love.


	10. Chapter 10

Lacey couldn't pin point exactly what was the issue with her relationship with Archie but she was aggravated by him lately. For the past two weeks he had become extremely attentive. He never left her side at school outside of their own classes and practices. He constantly had to touch her, whether it was a kiss or grabbing her hand. She was beyond annoyed and she sighed to the ceiling.

"Hey, your mom let me in. What's up with all of the sighing, Porter?" Regina said sauntering in kicking off of her heels and hopping on the bed beside Lacey.

Lacey sat up. "Hey….umm…nothing. I'm just thinking about me and Archie, that's all."

Regina perked up inside but downplayed it. She asked casually, "So, what's with the thinking of you and Archie."

Lacey had to tell someone. She had thought about it constantly and she was at the solution. She took in a deep breath. "I'm going to break up with Archie."

Regina almost swallowed her gum. "What?! What did he do? Why?"

Lacey turned fully towards Regina. "It's not like he's done anything. It's just…I feel…I want…"

"You want Danny. Is that it?"

Lacey blinked. "What?"

"C'mon Lacey don't act like you don't want that. Every female in school wants that, including me. Since Danny has been at school you've been acting funny. Archie is really trying. He's gushing all over you and paying super attention towards you and this is how you reward the guy? You want to break up with one of the hottest guys in school? And for what?"

Lacey stared straight ahead. "I don't want to be his girlfriend anymore. It's as simple as that. What are we anyway? Two so called popular teens hooking up and ruling the school? That's so lame. I like Archie and all but truth be told, I only started dating him to get him off of my back. He pursued me so hard and he's a cool guy at times, so I thought this would be easy. But, it hasn't been enjoyable."

Regina's mouth fell open gum and all. "I can't believe you. This isn't you. You have been hanging with Jo and Danny is back so the Trifecta of Friendship can continue." Regina jumped up suddenly angry to find her shoes. "You can't have it both ways, Lacey. You do know that right?"

Lacey had a sense of déjà vu. Archie had said the same thing to her at Johnny Cakes a few weeks ago. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Regina smiled smugly. "It means that you can't be friends with us, the populars and the nons. You know exactly what it means. You will fall from the social echelon that you occupy with me of course. Why break up with Archie? He's such a good fit for you? Danny is only good for one thing. And he looks like he can do it so very well too." Regina licked her lips obscenely.

Lacey rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You certainly want Danny, that's plain to see but didn't you say that you two could be an IT couple? Now you're saying that he's only good for one thing."

Regina went to collect her other heel. "Sure, I said it and it's true. With me he would be so much better off. You'd be the chick dumping a sure thing for someone possibly damaged and I would be seen as a popular person enjoying the company of an outcast. We do all love a good bad boy, now don't we? And he could be as bad as he wanted to be with me."

Lacey actually looked disgusted. "You're such a dirty slut. Danny would never—" Lacey began.

"Would never what? Want someone like me?" Regina looked Lacey up and down. "We'll see about that."

Danny knew he was dreaming. It had to be a dream, but it felt so incredibly real. He was dreaming of Lacey. He was tongue kissing her and listening to her moan and twist underneath of him. She had her arms around his neck and her hands in his hair. He was kissing her shoulder and tugging down her blouse. The excitement was thick in his ears as she moaned his name. He could hear her say it a thousand times. Say it again he whispered. She did and undulated beneath him. He groaned loudly and felt himself shaking.

"Danny!" Karen was yelling, shaking her son's shoulder as he thrashed on his bed.

Danny finally woke up soaked with sweat as he quickly covered himself with his pillow. Thankfully Karen didn't even acknowledge his condition, which Danny felt with acute clarity.

"Are you ok? I heard you moaning and making…noises." Karen said carefully looking at her son dripping with sweat. The thought of whether he may be on drugs did run pass her mind.

"I'm fine, mom. I just had a dream or something."

"Okay, you sure you aren't getting sick? I can call a doctor," Karen said reaching to touch his forehead but it was relatively cool but he looked flushed.

"No, mom! I'm good. I promise. I'm fine." He looked away embarrassed.

Karen finally got the hint and kissed Danny quickly on the forehead and left his room.

Danny threw the pillow and covers that he used to cover himself to the ground at looked down at himself. He was really going to have to do something about his sex filled fantasies of his best friend or he was going to have to invest in plastic sheets. He jumped quickly in the shower and turned it on cold. He gritted his teeth as the droplets hit his skin but the dream kept replaying itself in his mind again and again. He leaned his forehead on the tile. This was going to be a long day.


	11. Chapter 11

"Here babe, let me carry those for you," Archie said graciously taking Lacey's books out of her locker.

He didn't notice Lacey's irritated expression as she looked away from him. "Thanks, Arch," she replied dryly. He grabbed her hand as they walked together down the hallway.

"Seriously, he is so irritating to watch. He's just the perfect boyfriend right now," Jo said sarcastically.

Danny looked at Archie's hand drop silently to Lacey's behind as they stopped to talk to someone in the hallway. Archie looked back at Danny and smiled broadly mouthing the words MINE.

Danny turned his head. Archie was such an ass. He had art with Lacey in an hour. He had plenty of time to talk to her without Archie's interference.

"Umm…Jo. I think today I'm going to tell Lacey…tell Lacey how I feel about her," Danny said shyly.

Jo slammed her locker shut. Her eyes were lit up with pleasure. "Are you serious, Danny? Have you thought about what you wanted to say? How are you going to do it?"

"I was thinking of telling her today afterschool, after we do the drug awareness skit."

Jo nodded quickly. "Oh, my gosh, finally. I can't stand Archie."

"Why?"

Jo looked aghast. "Danny look at him? He's good looking. I give him that. He's athletic and he has money but he's a total jock. He's only with Lacey because she was unattainable to him and she just didn't go out with anyone. She just didn't. And he starts paying major attention and she and I weren't really talking anymore and then…BAM she has a new set of friends and a new boyfriend."

"I'm sorry that I wasn't here for you both," Danny said quietly. "I know that it must've been so hard for the both of you."

Jo smiled. "It was. It was very rough. For a while. But, you're here now and there's no use in being upset over anything anymore. The Three Amigos are back."

Phoebe was bouncing with excitement at how well the drug awareness skit was going. She peeked from behind the curtains and saw that the audience was still captured by what was happening on stage. She gave the cue for the video to play.

The video started to play a scene of a party with lots of drinking going on with a girl who appeared drunk suddenly passing out on the floor. The video jumped a little and then the screen went black.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God," Phoebe started lamenting. "This cannot be happening!"

_This is Julie Michaelson with Channel 7 news reporting from what used to be 652 Huntington Court Drive, the home of the Desai's. Firefighters arrived on the scene of a four alarm fire that completely had this house engulfed in flames. It took firefighters some time to get it under control and when they did, they discovered the body of who appears to be 37-year-old Tara Desai in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Tara Desai was supposedly babysitting her 11-year-old nephew Daniel Desai as well as two other unidentified children. The children were not in the house the time of the fire._

Clips of the fire five years ago kept going with images of a scared 11-year-old Danny being found by the police a mile away from his house. He had ran away and he was in shock. His smoke covered face looked blank as the police led him off to an awaiting police cruiser. More clips showed Danny crying and scared with his mom shielding him from the cameras and questions by the media.

_KAREN! Karen Desai. Did Danny kill his aunt? Why did he run away? Where's his father? What kind of mother would leave her son alone in a home with a woman who was known as a raging alcoholic?_

Karen endured the ridicule aimed at her about the incident but she wasn't putting up with it when it came to her son. She hit the persistent woman in the mouth and got arrested for assault. All of the media attention and scrutiny was too much for Karen and with her husband disappearing mysteriously the morning of the fire. No one had heard from him since. It was all too much and she cracked. She just couldn't get out of bed to do much of anything but sleep. First they placed Danny in temporary foster care and then he was shipped off to Vikram's mom in Arizona where he lived while Karen got help.

Some pesky news reporter shoved his microphone in front of Chester McGinty, the perverted real estate agent who made a pass at Karen at one time and received a swift knee to his balls for his troubles.

_Hey, this is off the record but that kid was always trouble. Just looked it, really. It wouldn't have surprised me if he killed his aunt or contributed to it. Just something ain't right about him. Mark my words, that fire was no accident. _

"Will someone turn that damn video off!" Jo yelled as she moved quickly to the recording room.

Rico finally managed to find the button on the right machine to turn the video off. Everyone was still as the teachers and Principal Randolph went in motion to move the teens as quickly as they could from the auditorium. Some of them were snickering while others were just laughing outright. Still others whispered as they passed by shaking their heads and texting on their phones.

"This was a catastrophe!" Phoebe wailed running from the stage sobbing. Tyler jumped u and hurried after her.

Lacey turned around to find Danny but he was nowhere to be found.

"Jo, have you seen Danny?" Lacey said as she found Jo talking to Rico. "No, I haven't seen him. Who do you think is behind editing those clippings into the video?"

Lacey looked around. "I don't know anything for sure but I can take a few guesses at who would do something like this and I will deal with it."

Archie was high-fiving his boys when Lacey walked up behind him.

"I'm sorry, are congratulations in order here?" she said folding her arms.

"Oh, hey babe. What?" Archie said leaning forward to peck her on the mouth.

Lacey stepped back and Archie found himself kissing air. "Do you know how that clip of Danny and the fire got into our video?"

Archie feigned innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about, babe. How should I know?"

Lacey was feeling anger well up in her face. She looked at Scott and Brendan. They were looking like they were up to something. She knew Archie was lying.

"So, you had nothing to do with that clip being played? You aren't trying to intentionally hurt Danny?"

Archie looked hurt. "No. I have no idea how that clip got in the video. I swear."

Lacey wasn't convinced. "How can you stand there and lie to my face like that? We are over, Archie! Not just because of what you did today with Danny. You dredged up hurtful memories for him and you ruined something that Phoebe worked so hard on. You just make me sick and I can't believe that I wasted any time on you." Lacey turned on her heel and left Archie standing where he was.


	12. Chapter 12

Lacey couldn't find Danny anywhere. She tried the fort first and he wasn't there. She went to Johnny Cakes and he wasn't there. She tried McNally Park and she got out and walked around. He wasn't there. By that time it was raining. Jo called and said she had tried Danny's cell multiple times with no success. He wouldn't pick up and he wasn't texting her back. Lacey finally thought of the most obvious place. His house. She pulled up and made a run for it to his front door. Karen had said that Danny hadn't said much when he came in. She asked him did he have a good day and he said it was fine and then went up to his room, where he had been all evening. Lacey asked could she come in and check on him and Karen warmly allowed her in.

"You're all wet, Lacey. Let me get you a towel." Karen handed Lacey a towel as she walked quickly up to Danny's room and knocked on the door.

Lacey didn't wait for answer as the door easily turned in her hand.

His room was pitch dark but she knew the layout of his bedroom perfectly. He was lying on the bed motionless.

"Oh, my God Danny!" she shouted.

He turned over and clicked on his lamp. "Lace? What are you doing here?"

Lacey breathed in a sigh of relief. "I was worried about you. No one could find you. I looked all over for you. I wanted to make sure that you were ok."

Danny looked confused. "I'm fine. Thank you for coming over though."

Lacey took a step closer. "You're not fine. I wish you would talk to me. I wish you would tell me how you really feel."

Danny moved to sit in a chair. "Why? You don't tell me how you really feel?"

Lacey realized that this could turn into a fight. She was a big girl. She was ready. She took off her soggy jacket and placed it on the back of his desk chair. She removed her boots.

"You're making yourself comfortable, aren't you?" he replied eyeing her with quickened lust.

"Yes, I am. Do you want to know how I really feel?"

Danny nodded.

Lacey sighed and then she smiled. She began to cross the room and she stopped in front of him.

He looked up at her puzzled. He didn't have time to react as Lacey stooped down and gently took the tie out that held his hair back. She watched it fall like a cloak down upon his shoulders.

"You've always had such beautiful hair. Beautiful lips and eyes."

Danny had never seen Lacey look at him like she was looking at him in this moment. Something was going to happen. He just didn't know what, so he waited.

She leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn't the chaste pecks on the lips that she gave Archie. This kiss was open mouthed and passionate.

It took Danny's brain a half a second to register what was going on but when he did, he raised up out the chair clutching Lacey to him. He picked her up with her legs locked securely around his waist.

Each was following the other's lead. It was a bit harried as the teens grappled with tongues and noses bumping. They both smiled as they came up for air.

"I broke up with Archie," Lacey announced.

Danny looked genuinely surprised. "Why?"

Lacey looked at him and kissed him on his nose. Taking a deep breath she said quickly, "Iloveyouandheplayedthatclip…"

Danny cut her off by placing his finger on her lips. He loved her lips. The fullness of them. He traced the outline of them.

"Say that again," he whispered.

"I said, I love you and…"

Danny put his finger back to her lips. "Shhhh, that's the only part I want to hear. When did you start to love me?"

Lacey took his finger into her mouth and sucked on it before she answered. Danny closed his eyes and moaned in ecstasy.

"Danny, didn't you know? I've always loved you."

That did it. That is what he had been waiting to hear since he got back. "I love you too."

He kissed her then without anything to hold him back. He rocked against her body and she moaned into his mouth. He took ahold of the side of her neck and pulled her deeper into the kiss. Her tongue came out to meet his. He felt himself getting harder. He had never been this hard in his life. It was almost scary feeling the heaviness protrude from his body. He tried to shift his weight off of her because he knew he was crushing her.

Lacey moaned. "No, stop. Stay right there. I like you on top of me."

Danny had to close his eyes again. The vision she made clutching him with her thighs with that most secret place between them.

"Lacey, I've never been with a girl before." He didn't want to say he was a virgin. He had seen more than a few porn movies but watching and actually doing didn't make one an expert.

"Ok, I've never been with a guy before. But, I know what to do. Besides, there's no pressure. We don't have to this time. It's perfectly fine. I just want to feel you."

The joy that he felt at those words was unparalleled. "I dreamed of you like this. Laying under me just like this."

"Well, did I do this?" Lacey said feeling brazen. She reached down to remove Danny's t-shirt.

His biceps flexed as he held himself above her. They began kissing in earnest now. He reached down to remove Lacey's shirt and his hand grazed her bare belly.

She cried out at the touch and so Danny decided to use his tongue instead. She squirmed underneath of him, making the condition in his pants that much more prominent.

He got to her jeans and he unbuttoned them slowly all while looking at her. He bent down and clasped her zipper with his teeth and unzipped her jeans slowly.

Lacey was see-sawing her legs back and forth for the jeans to come off and when they were, Danny took a moment to glimpse the pink patch of underwear she was wearing.

Lacey held her legs locked together, suddenly shy.

"Don't get all shy on me now. You started this," Danny said drawing her legs up parting them slowly with his knee. Every touch he made was deliberate. He dropped kisses on the tops of her knees and inner thighs.

Lacey's back rolled up from the bed. "Ahhhhh, I don't think I can take this," she moaned licking her lips.

Danny licked her lips and then plunged his tongue inside of her mouth as he fell back in between the cradle of her thighs once more. He rocked up into her this time.

Lacey moaned louder, grabbing his sheets into her hands and balling them up. He looked up with glazed eyes at her breasts encased in a matching bra. Their contents about to spill out, her nipples at their peaks. He clasped one tip between his teeth gently, while his tongue shot out to lave it.

Lacey's eyes came open slowly to watch Danny's head at her chest. He started licking her nipples through her bra. First the left, then the right. Danny had watched enough dirty movies to know what he should do but he wasn't quite sure on how much pressure to use or what she liked. So, he decided to do a little bit of everything. What he hadn't bargained on was that Lacey had been watching some movies too. So, while he was concentrating on giving her pleasure, she had just reached back and removed her bra and now straddled Danny into a sitting position.

She removed Danny's jeans and resumed her position straddling his lap.

"Oh, God! Lace…what?" Danny gasped still fascinated with her breasts and her toplessness.

"Shhh, I've watched some movies too. This way we both get pleasure without actual penetration…for now." Lacey rocked on Danny's lap with her arms clasping him to her as they kissed and rocked against one another simultaneously.

He grabbed her waist tightly and her back as she grinded into him. He wasn't going to last long like this. He could feel his balls tightening up. He couldn't speak past moans and groans and other guttural sounds of pleasure. His fingers seeked out her most secret spot. He wanted so badly to give her pleasure and to have them both come at the same time.

When Lacey felt Danny's long, slim fingers enter her, she nearly jumped from his lap. She was so very wet that his fingers just slipped inside easily. He turned her around quickly so that her back was to him. He removed her panties and his fingers went to town. One hand cupped her breasts as he fondled her down below. She went up on her tippy toes simply lost in the euphoria they were creating.

She was wiggling all over his lap and Danny knew the time was almost ready. He was going to come. Suddenly Lacey tensed up and her body began to shake all over. Wetness seemed to gush out of her body onto Danny's fingers. He stuck them into his mouth quickly as Lacey, still wobbly turned back around to face him. She pulled his penis out through the slit in his boxers and he couldn't contain himself. Lacey held him and grabbed the towel she used to dry her hair to wrap around him as he came in great spurts. He fell back on the bed and she on top of him as their bodies slowly cooled.

Lacey was still shivering in the aftermath. Danny was trying to move to go get a washcloth from the bathroom for them both.

"No, stay with me." Lacey snuggled to his side as he righted them both on his king sized bed. He weakly drew the covers over them both. He removed his underwear and threw them on the floor. He turned towards Lacey and the both of them continued to stare at one another blinking slowly and smiling. They kissed one another slowly on the mouth. He Eskimo kissed her on the nose. They continued to look at one another until sleep claimed them both.

"Masterson, I knew that I would find you here." Tyler came striding into Johnny Cakes and made a beeline towards the booth that Jo was sitting in alone.

Jo rolled her eyes. "What do you want Tyler?"

Tyler flashed her a toothy grin. "You don't like me very much, do you? And I can't figure out why. What did I ever do to you?" Tyler sat down uninvited.

Jo finally smiled. "Tyler you and I have absolutely nothing in common. I like your sister. Phoebe is cool. She's a bit neurotic but she's likable. You? I just don't trust you. I'm sorry but I don't."

Tyler was intrigued. "Ok, what have you heard about me? You obviously have heard something positively negative and at least you can give me the opportunity to explain myself."

Jo smirked. She had to hand it to him. He had the laid back vibe totally working for him His act was such B.S. "Ok, I'll just spell this out for you. Maybe at one time we could have been friends Tyler but I know that Archie and his minions aren't smart enough to cut and edit actual news coverage into a clip. That's your area of expertise. You helped him humiliate Danny in front of the entire school and positively ruin your own sister's directorial debut all in one. So, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Tyler sat back with a grin on his face. "You do intrigue me, Jo Masterson. I don't deny helping Archie out with the video but I didn't think of the consequences of my actions. If you like I'll apologize to Danny myself. Phoebe isn't talking to me right now after she figured out my involvement. She'll be fine after a while though. It wasn't meant to go that far, honestly."

He seemed sincere but Jo was upset. No one messed with her friends. She was particularly protective of Danny, especially since they haven't talked at all about the five years he spent away from Green Grove yet. She wasn't ready to trust Tyler.

"That's all well and good, Tyler." Jo stood up and laid her money down on the table. "It's just not good enough."


	13. Chapter 13

Archie's chest heaved up and down like he had run 100 miles. He pulled the sheet to his hips and ran his hand agitatedly through his damp hair.

"I can't believe she just dumped me like that for that…that…I don't know what to call him," Archie said balling his hands into tight fists.

Regina rolled over and leaned on her elbow, head on her hand. "You just should have let me handle it like I told you that I would. I admit the news coverage was a good angle but in retrospect not such a good idea because you practically pushed them together. Lacey is a big ole softy. I'm sure she went searching for her good ole friend Danny and who knows. She may have gone and made love to him by now in order to comfort him." Regina smirked. They had spent an hour having sex while her mom was out shopping. He couldn't find Lacey and Regina couldn't resist all of that pent up frustration that before she knew it, they were naked and in her bed. She didn't regret it. Lacey deserved it.

"I don't want to think about Lacey screwing that dude." Regina got up and straddled Archie's hips.

"Are you in love with Lacey?"

Archie grinned. "No, but she's mine. I worked so hard to get her attention and once I wore her down and she gave in, everything was perfect. I do like her but she's just….she's kinda…frigid ya know. It was always stop Archie or no Archie and there were these little kisses but never really long make out sessions. And absolutely no sex whatsoever. In the six months we were together, I never even saw her breasts."

Regina rolled her eyes. She was sick of hearing about Lacey. But it also gratified her that she could sleep with Archie and not tell anyone her little secrets.

"Archie, you worry too much about Lacey and her lack of goodies that should have been yours. They still can be ya know. All you have to do is follow my instructions and this time no surprises." She bent her head and kissed his lips. He was ready for her again and so was she. She was going to get what she wanted no matter who she had to use to get it. She smiled broadly as Archie started nuzzling her neck.

Lacey heard a chime go off and somewhere in the fogginess of her brain's dreamland and realized that it was her phone going off. She blinked slowly and opened her eyes. She reached for it and saw a ton of text messages from Jo and her mom. The one from her mom informed her that Karen had already talked to her and let her know that she would be spending the night at her house along with Jo and Rico. Lacey couldn't believe that Karen would cover for her like that. Lacey quickly texted Jo that she was fine and that she spent the night at Danny's. She smiled and realized that she had one of his shirts on. She inhaled his scent from it and giggled quietly to herself. They were spooned together. Danny had put on some pants sometime during the night but he continued to hold Lacey close to him. His left arm was draped casually over her hip and his right arm was above her head.

She couldn't help herself. She didn't want to be creepy but she had to see him asleep. Lacey turned around slowly and swept Danny's long hair out of his face. His eyelashes fanned out on his cheeks like half-moons. Slowly, as to not disturb him she touched his lips with her fingers and ran her hand down his bare chest and settled on his belly. She circled his navel and felt the soft down of hair there.

"If your hand goes any lower we may become parents," Danny whispered in a husky whisper.

Lacey giggled. "I was just exploring. I didn't mean to wake you. I can't believe I spent the night and your mom never came back up here to see if I left or not."

Danny opened his eyes. "Well, mom and I don't exactly have a regular mother/son relationship but I know that she will do anything for me and she wants me to be happy. You make me happy."

Lacey kissed him quickly and sat up. "Can we talk about what happened at school today?"

Danny cocked an eyebrow at her. "I'd rather we didn't at this time." He reached for Lacey and she went easily into his embrace.

"I just want to hold you some more if that's okay with you?"

Lacey snuggled back into her spot against Danny's chest. "I wish we could stay like this for a while."

Danny kissed her neck and breathed in her scent. "Oh, mom got these fancy blinds that open and close and move up and down with a remote. Watch." Danny found for the remote which had fallen on the floor and hit the button. Lacey turned in Danny's arms as the blinds went up automatically and the teens witnessed the first rays of the sun pour out over the sky.

Jo received Lacey's text message and started doing her happy dance. Texting her quickly she replied:

**WHATTTTTTTTTTTTT!? And I want details. STAT!**

Rico walked in and started laughing. "It must be something big if you're doing the happy dance."

Jo twirled around with a huge grin on her face.

"I'll say. I'm waiting for details. Mum's the word but Lacey spent the night at Danny's last night."

Rico almost choked on his orange juice. "What? Did they? They didn't! Did they?"

Jo laughed. "I don't know but I'm gonna find out."

Suddenly Jo's phone chirped and she looked down to see an unknown phone number. The message read:

**I'm sorry, Jo. Please let me make it up to you. Tyler**

"What the hell? How did he get my phone number?" Jo said out loud as she quickly texted back a response.

"How did who get your phone number?" Rico asked curiously.

"Tyler Jeffries. You know he helped that jackass Archie and his idiot ass friends embarrass Danny. Now all of a sudden since I called him out, he's all apologetic. I don't wanna hear it."

Rico instantly was irritated. Tyler Jefferies. He couldn't stand him. He was definitely a part of that top tier in school of the Populars. He was head of the A/V Club and he was also an intellectual. Girls were always fawning all over him and he dressed preppy chic or whatever you call it. He was sickening.

Changing the subject, Rico drummed his fingers on the countertop. "What are we going to do today?"

"Umm…I'm going to meet up with Lacey sometime today for some good ole fashioned girl talk and you know how we girls are…it can last all day!" Rico looked agitated. "Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Rico didn't want to sound like a whiny little girl but he was getting aggravated since Danny came back into Jo's life and Jo started reconnecting with Lacey. He just felt pushed out of their little friendship circle.

"No…nothing. I just…I thought you wanted to hang, that's all."

"Oh, sure I do. We usually hang every weekend with one another but I'm' sorry but you're being trumped for Girl Talk today though, Rico my boy." Jo patted Rico on his shoulder. "Hey, great idea I have. How about you and Danny hang out?"

Rico didn't dislike Danny per se but he really didn't want to be all hanging out with him either. Aside from Jo, Rico hated to admit it but he didn't have many friends. He had some acquaintances that he'd hang out with every now and then who belonged to the Math Club but they didn't have what he and Jo have.

"Uhh…sure…me and Danny? Yeah—yeah we can hang out if he wants to."

"Great! I'm sure he would. He needs all of his friends rallying around him at this time. You're a great man, Rico Martinez."

Rico nodded in agreement that he didn't feel. He gazed longingly at Jo's back as she squealed with delight at whatever text message Lacey most likely sent back. Rico sighed.

Danny lightly drummed his fingers on the table sitting at a back booth of Johnny Cakes. Rico was nervously ordering a burger and fries while eyeing his watch every 10 seconds or so.

"I'm sorry, Rico but do you have someplace you'd rather be?" Danny finally asked.

Rico thanked the waitress after placing his order and handing her back the menu. His gazed bounced off of the walls before he answered Danny.

"No. I—it's just...I don't have many friends. Well, I don't have any friends really aside from Jo and now Jo's all…she's busy now and I guess…I'm questioning my place in her life." The words gushed out of Rico like air from a deflated balloon. He felt rather lame for even saying them out loud, let alone to Danny.

Danny nodded. "You shouldn't feel dejected at all, Rico. You're Jo's friend too. We can all be friends. I know you don't know me very well and I don't know you but I would like to get to know you. I want you to get to know me."

The waitress came back with their drinks and a basket of fries big enough that both of them could share. Jo and Lacey were spending the day together at the mall and having girl talk. Rico nodded at Danny's words. Truth be told Rico didn't have anything against Danny at all, but the guy did have a way with the ladies. He gave no notice to any of the females who shyly looked at him or whose glances relentlessly pursued his face while he spoke or ate. Danny wasn't fazed by any of it. The waitress was even gazing at him with warm intentions and yet Danny continued to ignore them all.

Rico cleared his throat. "So? You and Lacey, huh? Lacey's like…whoa!" Rico exclaimed lost for words.

Danny laughed. "I have loved Lacey and Jo my entire life. I have been in love with Lacey since I could remember…8 or 9, I think. She had this red and black dress with these matching shoes. I loved her in that outfit. She wore it one day to this Christmas play at school. That was the very first time that I kissed her. Our first kiss. Afterwards, she punched me in the face and busted my lip." Danny chuckled at the memory and Rico started laughing too.

"Yeah, Lace had one mean right jab."

Rico reached for more fries as he stuffed them into his mouth and then swallowed. "So, you two didn't…umm…? You know?"

Danny grinned slowly. "No. No, we didn't have sex. We did sleep in the same bed and we watched the sun come up. It was romantic, I guess without being mushy."

"Archie is pretty much an asshole. He isn't going to take Lacey just breaking up with him like that lightly. I'm sorry about what happened at the play. That was completely messed up. Jo was going off on all kinds of people who were making comments. She's such a little spitfire…er…firecracker…she's great."

Danny nodded knowingly. "Thanks, I appreciate your concern, Rico. When are you going to tell Jo how you feel about her?"

Rico spit out a little of his Sprite. "What? I? Me? Oh, noooooooooooo Jo and I are very good friends. We're the best of friends. I have…" Rico was at a loss for words. He took a deep breath. "I think I'm in love with her."

Danny swallowed. "And when are you going to tell her any of this? You're never going to tell her how you feel?"

"She doesn't like me like that." Rico sounded dejected. He hated the tone in his voice, that small hitch of breath which denoted that one's feelings were not and never will be reciprocated.

"How do you know she doesn't like you like that?"

Rico smiled sadly. "I just know."


	14. Chapter 14

Lacey was beaming. She was positively blushing all down her neck. She hadn't been this happy since she was a little girl. Her and Jo shopped and ate ice cream at Little Lulu's Ice Cream Shoppe and gossiped well into the late afternoon.

"What's it like kissing him?" Jo asked as she and Lacey were finishing off a bowl of popcorn.

Lacey closed her eyes and pictured her and Danny kissing. "It's like fire!"

Both girls busted out laughing at the same time.

"No, seriously he's a great kisser. He's attentive and romantic and gracious. He's a quick learner too."

"Wow, I always knew he was going to be a great kisser one day. He just had those lips, ya know?"

Lacey nodded in agreement. "Oh, yes I remember."

Jo's phone went off again. She looked down at it and hit a button with disgust.

"Umm…who is that who keeps texting you and you keep ignoring them?"

Jo popped her lips. "It's Tyler. He wants to apologize for being an ass and helping Archie and Company with what happened at school yesterday. I told him it's too late for all of that."

"Well, well, well. I think Tyler likes himself some you," Lacey said grinning.

Jo gave a look of disgust. "I wouldn't give a person like Tyler the time of day. He just looks like he's used to getting whatever he wants and he could careless who's in his way as long as he's getting what he wants. No, thank you. A guy like that would leave a girl tragically heartbroken. A guy like that is dangerous."

Lacey whistled low. "Sounds like you have done your homework. But if he's willing to apologize then he can't be all bad, right? You might want to really hear him out and let him sincerely apologize to you and then make an informed decision on his character when you aren't too riled up."

Jo nodded finishing off the last of the popcorn. "I suppose you're right. I'll hear him out and then give his ass the boot!"

Karen eyed Danny with interest as he dug into his dinner. "I'm not ready to become a grandmother, Danny." Danny spit out the soda he had been drinking.

"Mother—what?" He sputtered out.

Karen smiled. "I know you have always liked Lacey. She grew into a very beautiful young lady and honestly I have no problem at all with the two of you seeing one another. But, I see how you look at her. It's that look. That look that caresses. You want to be with her all of the time and you want to get close. I know you are not a baby anymore and you having sex is inevitable. I just want you to please use precaution with anyone you're with. And please be careful."

Danny smiled. "Mother is this our version of a sex talk? Lacey and I haven't had sex." He wasn't sure how much to tell his mom but he didn't want her to become worried nor be overly attentive into his personal life.

"I thought Lacey was dating someone," Karen hedged. "I'm not trying to get all in your business but you are my son."

"They broke up, mom. Lacey deserved better anyway."

"Oh, I see. So, you don't think that's too soon for her to jump into a new relationship with you after she was just in one quite recently? I don't want you being the rebound guy."

Danny laughed. "Trust me mom, I'm not the rebound guy. Lacey and I are going to take is slow."

Karen sighed, smiling. She watched Danny get up and put his plate in the sink. He was growing into a man and she wanted Vikram there so that he could witness it with her. Danny's first foray into love. He had really been through so much in his seventeen years. She just didn't want this to be another thing that left him disappointed and dejected.

"Hey, let's do movie night and I'll fix some tacos. You can invite Lacey and Jo and whoever else you like."

Danny smiled. "Sounds like a plan. I'll ask everyone and see what they say. Thanks, mom."

He leaned over and kissed Karen on the cheek before walking out of the kitchen.

Lacey was beside herself with what to wear. Taco night wouldn't ordinarily garner this much reflection but she and Danny would officially be seen as a couple, at least outside of school and she wanted to make a good impression on Mrs. Desai and to properly thank her for allowing her to spend the night.

Great, she had to leave in 30 minutes and she hadn't picked an outfit yet. It was cool out so wearing a dress was out. She decided on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a cream asymmetrical sweater. She put on a matching camisole underneath. She pulled on some black booties. She tousled her hair a bit and added some make-up. She grabbed the flowers she had bought for Karen and sniffed them.

"Well, you're looking fancy for just going out with some friends for movie night." Judy said coming into Lacey's bedroom. "Is Archie picking you up?"

Lacey hadn't told her mom that she and Archie were over. "No, mom. Archie isn't picking me up. I'm going over Danny's house."

Judy didn't hide being uncomfortable. "Oh. You were just over there. You two won't be alone, right? I mean, Jo will be there, right?

"Yes, mom Jo will be there and Rico and also Mrs. Desai. This is movie night like we used to have when we were kids."

Judy pursed her lips. "Lacey, I just don't want you getting overly involved with them. We do have appearances to keep up."

Lacey inwardly groaned. She hated these conversations with her mom. Judy was the resident Queen Bee at Green Grove. She was part of the Women's League and so appearances were everything. Lacey didn't feel like it was time to tell her mom about her and Danny.

"Well, we have to go shopping this week to get your Fall Fest gown. I think you should wear red this year. You look awesome in that color."

Lacey rolled her eyes. "Mom, I really don't want to go."

"What? I'm the Chairwoman this year and not having my own daughter going would be favorable. You're going and you will look your best with Archie. I have picked out the most beautiful Armani suit for him. You guys will look wonderful together."

Lacey really didn't have time to bicker with her mom. This wasn't the time to bust her bubble and put a dent into her plans. "I have to go. I'll see you later."

Danny was nervous. He was pulling apart lettuce to put into a bowl for the tacos. He really wanted everything to go over well tonight. Move/taco night was he and Lacey's couple debut. He smiled thinking of her. He was thinking about the softness of her lips when Jo walked into the kitchen.

"Wow, someone's in loveeeeeeeeeeeee! That smile speaks a thousand words," Jo remarked popping a chip into her mouth.

Danny turned around, flipping his hair over with a nonchalant gesture. "Whatever! I was…."

"What time is Lacey getting here?" Jo interrupted, her mouth crunching around another chip.

"She should be here in a few minutes."

"I'm so happy for you guys. My two best friends are finally together. This couldn't get much better. I swear your babies are going to be gorgeous and I'm going to need you to name at least one of your kids after me, please."

Danny laughed. "Well, we're trying to take it slow. No babies right now for a while anyway. Where's Rico?"

"He's on his way. He had to stop at the library to return some books. He'll be here a little later."

"Jo! Hi, you look great!" Karen came into the kitchen and hugged Jo. "Let me look at you? So beautiful. You look so much like Tess."

"Oh, thank you Mrs. Desai. Thank you for inviting me over tonight. I have so missed movie and taco nights."

"Well, I'm going to try to keep them up as a tradition. I miss seeing you guys here on Friday nights."

They were interrupted by the doorbell.

"Oh, let me get it," Danny announced, assuming it was Lacey at the door.

"Hey, Danny," Rico said stepping into the foyer. "My mom baked some homemade cookies." Rico handed Danny a wrapped tray.

"Oh, thanks man. I appreciate that."

"Hi, Rico. I'm Karen, Danny's mom," Karen walked into the room and hugged Rico who was tongue tied. He had no idea that Mrs. Desai was such a pretty woman. He blushed visibly.

"Hey, Rico! What did your mom bake?" Jo said strolling into the living room.

"Oh, she made blondies and chocolate chip and walnut cookies."

"Mmm…my favorities," Jo said stealing one from the tray. "So goodddddddddddddd!"

Rico looked at Jo's face as she bit into the cookie. She moaned with obvious pleasure and Rico felt warmth slide down his neck. He wished he was the reason for Jo making that noise.

"So what movies are we watching?"

"I think we have the Die Hard marathon going on," Danny offered just as he saw a shadow on his porch.

Before Lacey could ring the doorbell, Danny was at the door opening it.

"Hey," he said embracing her tightly.

"Hey, you" Lacey replied hugging him back.

"Flowers for me? You shouldn't have," Danny said grinning.

"I didn't. These are for your mom."

"Oh," Danny pretended to be hurt.

Lacey smiled, dimples showing. She grabbed him by the hem of his shirt and dragged him out of the hallway.

Danny put the flowers down on a side table and followed. Lacey pulled him into the den.

"I brought you this." As soon as Danny had the door closed, she was on him. Pushing him up against the door, her mouth found his quickly. She had her arms around his neck as he gripped her tightly around her waist.

His hands found their way to her backside and they slid lower as he picked her up and turned with towards the desk chair. Danny sat down with Lacey straddling him. He was kissing down the side of her neck and pushing her sweater up so he could feel underneath.

"We have to stop," Lacey moaned pulling back slightly. "Everyone is in the other room."

"You smell good," Danny said still kissing her neck gently and then he went to her cheeks, cupping her face in his hands. "You look extraordinary too."

"Awww, you're so sweet. You look beautiful if I do say so myself," Lacey said back pecking him lightly on the nose.

"I missed you," Lacey whispered, pressing her forehead to Danny's.

"I missed you too," Danny replied kissing her slowly. They pulled apart realizing that they had been gone too long.

Lacey stood up slowly from Danny's lap watching him watching her the entire time. He let his arms slide slowly from around her waist, to her thighs, then her calves.

"Don't look at me like that," Danny uttered breathing a little unsteady.

"Look at you like what?" Lacey said licking her lips.

He closed his eyes. "Stop."

Lacey backed away slowly towards the door. "What if I don't…stop that is?"

Danny smirked then looked at the desk. "I think I'll have you on this desk next if we don't get out of here."


	15. Chapter 15

Danny didn't realize he was asleep until he felt himself being shaken awake by Jo.

"Hey, me and Rico are about to leave," she yawned. "I think we have watched more than enough Bruce Willis for one night."

Danny nodded and attempted to get up but Lacey was sprawled over his lap knocked out, snoring quietly.

"You were asleep after Die Hard 2, Jo," Rico commented getting his shoes on.

Jo shot him a look. "It must've been all of those tacos. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Danny," Jo walked towards the door and then she turned around. "No, funny business with Lacey tonight, ok? And I'm gonna need details if you two do decide to do anything."

"Oh, God let's go," Rico said waving goodbye to Danny and locking the door behind them.

Danny looked down at Lacey asleep in his lap. She was beautiful asleep. Her jeans hugged her frame in all the right places. He kissed her lightly on the lips. When she didn't stir he increased the pressure of the kiss.

Lacey's eyes snapped open. "Mmm… tastes good. Did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah, you did. Jo and Rico just left. Mom went to bed hours ago, I guess."

Lacey sat up. "I should get going too. It's late."

"Stay with me," Danny said linking their hands together. "Spend the night with me. I promise that we won't do what we did last time…unless you want to," he laughed.

"I didn't bring any change of clothes with me or a toothbrush or anything."

"You can wear one of my shirts and I have extra toothbrushes."

Lacey bit her lip. "Ok, let's go to bed."

Danny didn't waste any time turning off the dvd player and lights while he and Lacey tiptoed towards the stairs and took them quietly to his room. Lacey brushed her teeth and washed her face and changed into one of Danny's henleys and a pair of his boxers. She pulled her hair into a messy bun that Danny found sexy. He wore a t-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"The bun is hot," Danny commented as Lacey climbed into his bed.

"No, it's not. You are so silly."

He watched her laugh and noticed her nipples were visible through his shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra.

"You took your bra off," Danny noted.

"Yes, I don't sleep in my bra."

Danny breathed in deeply before turning off his light. "Ok, I will have that as my visual before I go to bed."

"No, you won't," Lacey said leaning over to kiss Danny on his mouth. "I'm not wearing underwear either," she whispered in his ear.

"Oh. God. Help. Me. Make. It. Through. The. Night." Danny muttered through gritted teeth.

Doug was nervous. His fingers were typing quickly over the keyboard. He couldn't believe what he was seeing as he turned on his laptop and checked his email. He had received an anonymous email from someone and it contained Danny Desai's school records and instructions on what to do with them. Doug's palms were sweating. He knew what he was doing was terribly wrong. It could result in his suspension maybe even expulsion. He shivered. It was wrong. He shouldn't put it on the school's website. He knew how to go about it as not to get caught but would the guilt eat him up? He was being paid handsomely and for once he didn't feel like what clung to the bottom of someone's feet.

He was being noticed by the popular kids and that feeling was liberating to him. It was something that he had never experienced in his sixteen years of awkwardly facing how utterly unattractive he always felt. The acne started when he was eleven. He hated how much weight he had gained and no amount of fat camps or diets helped his self-esteem any. So when the email had popped up documenting the mysterious Danny Desai, he couldn't resist. All that was left was to hit ENTER. He hesitated.

Doug realized that he really didn't know Danny at all. He had only saw him in the hallways a few times. Danny had even spoke to him once and even taken up for him when one of the popular kids shoved him into a wall and he dropped all of his books. It felt wrong. Doug cursed. He sighed deeply. He didn't want to be solely responsible for the humiliation of someone else. But, for a brief moment Doug wanted to know what it felt like to be normal. To just walk through the halls with his head held high and not be pushed or shoved or knocked around. If sacrificing Danny meant that he could have some peace, no matter how brief, he resolutely decided that he would do it. He hit the ENTER button.

Lacey knew something was wrong even before she made her way across the grassy knoll to the front of the building. Everyone seemed to be staring at their phones. She looked down at hers and realized that she had it off. Turning it on, she saw that she did have a text message from the school. It contained a hyperlink to a website. Lacey clicked on it and gasped. She didn't even read past Danny's name before she became enraged.

"Oh, my God!" Jo breathed as she read the email. Rico was looking over her shoulder with an expression equal to hers on his face.

"I gotta find Danny and Lacey."

Danny was at his locker when he received the beep on his phone. Clicking the necessary buttons he went to the website and saw his school records posted online. Danny's eyes couldn't believe what he was reading. There were notes from the various psychiatrists that he saw. There were all of their names and the name of the hospital he was sent to for two years of his life. He shut his eyes tightly. But he could still see the words. His address and certain phone numbers were blacked out but the buzz that was within his head left him reeling. He felt a panic attack coming on.

He felt a hand on his back.

"Danny, it's ok. Just breathe. Let's go," it was Lacey and she was close to his ear. She shut his locker and wrapped her arms around him.

It was quiet within Green Grove High's hallways as everyone watched Lacey lead Danny away. Danny walked woodenly. He didn't look at anyone to the left or right of him but he could feel their eyes making holes to the side of his face.

Jo and Rico caught up with them. Sarita was shaking her head with her lips turned up. She met the foursome as they walked outside of the school towards Lacey's car.

"Lacey what are you doing? Do you want your popularity stock to plummet or what? Danny has been in the looney bin! Did you even read what his records show?"

"Sarita, get the hell out of my way. I don't know who did this. I don't know why they did this. But, believe me. I will find out and when I do, that person is going to pay. I don't need anyone to decide for me who my friends should be. Least of all you," Lacey replied, her tone dripping with venom.

Sarita saw something different in Lacey's eyes that made her step back. "We're just trying to help you. You don't know him as well as you think. We're your friends too and you're choosing the Scooby Gang over us. Me, Regina, Phoebe, Archie….your boyfriend. Remember?"

"Archie and I aren't together anymore. And you would do best to stop talking to me altogether and move the hell out of the way. I'm not going to say it again."

Sarita promptly moved to the side as Lacey marched past her without even a backward glance.

"You and your cohorts made a mistake, Sarita. You go tell Archie and Regina that we're going to Danny's mom with this and she's going to press charges," Jo said with venom as she used her shoulder to nudge Sarita's.

"I had nothing to do with this!" Sarita yelled back.

Karen had been yelling on the phone with the school for the past fifteen minutes. She learned that Principal Randolph had called an emergency school assembly and was dealing with the fallout of the mass text. The website had been promptly shutdown but the damage had already been done. Several students had saved it and they were cautioned that should it be found on anyone's social media sites, that person would be dealt with severely. It couldn't even be discussed, even in code anywhere or the school would act swiftly in their punishment. An investigation into how private records of a student were underway and whoever was responsible would be brought before the advisory board and expelled. Principal Randolph tried to talk to Karen sensibly but Karen had already told them that she was going down to her lawyer's office and they would be hearing from her on the matter.

"Thank God you guys were there for him. I just can't believe someone could do this to Danny. He hasn't done anything to anyone. He just wanted to fit in and go back to school. That's it! I have to go to my lawyer's office for a little bit. Lacey could you stay with him?" Karen was already grabbing her coat and purse.

"Of course," Lacey said. When Karen saw the foursome at her door and how white Danny's face was, she knew something awful had happened.

"Thank you," Karen left quickly.

"What are we going to do?" Jo said quietly.

"Mrs. Desai's handling everything, Jo," Rico said as he sat at the kitchen table.

"You know what I mean," Jo said sliding her gaze towards him. "You know damn well Archie or that Queen Bitch Regina had something to do with this. She probably realized that she couldn't have Danny so she decided to hurt him instead. Whatever the reason, I aims to find out!"

"Stay out of it!" Rico suddenly shouted.

Lacey and Jo both stopped to look at him.

"Just stay out of it and let the adults handle it. We're not his mom, Jo."

"He's family, Rico. No one fucks with family. If someone did that to you, I'd kill them. Someone will pay or someones."

Rico actually smiled when Jo said that about him.

Lacey agreed. "I love him, Rico. I know you don't know Danny like that and you're concerned that Jo may get in way over her head. I get your concern. You're an awesome friend. But this was personal. They wanted to hurt him badly and for that, Jo and I won't stop until they get what's coming to them."

Rico sighed knowing that he got outnumbered. "Who do you think did it?"

"Archie." Jo and Lacey said at the same time.


	16. Chapter 16

After Rico and Jo left, Lacey went to check on Danny and he was still lying in the same position she left him in.

"I'm so sorry, Danny," Lacey whispered.

"This is not how I wanted you to find out, Lace. I didn't want you to find out that I was hospitalized for two years. How doctors tried interesting treatments to get me to remember. To get me to forget. To get me to talk or think about whatever I was supposed to be thinking about. You weren't supposed to find out that I found my grandmother dead in her bed from a stroke after being in the house with her for over a day. I thought she was asleep," Danny's voice cracked and he began to cry.

Lacey ran over to him and cradled him in her arms. She rocked him gently as he embraced her tightly. He sobbed into her stomach as she continued to hold him and she wiped his tears.

"Shhh, it's ok. You can cry all you want. It's going to be ok."

After a while he quieted down and Lacey laid down with him. She massaged his scalp as Danny positioned himself in between her legs. His head still remained on her stomach as he fell asleep.

Lacey's phone rang and she snapped awake. She looked down at Danny and realized that he was still asleep, sprawled out on his stomach.

She looked at the caller ID and it read Unknown. She usually didn't take calls like that but for some reason, she had a feeling that this was a call she should take.

"Hello?" Lacey said cautiously.

All she heard was breathing. "Who is this?" Lacey continued. "You either speak or I'm hanging up."

"I knew it was wrong! I don't want to get in trouble. Tell him that I'm sorry," a voice whimpered.

"Who?" Lacey began. "Doug?"

Jo was pissed and she honestly wanted to be by herself. She went to McNally Park and remained in her car. She wasn't even sure she wanted to get out of the car but a knock on her window took her out of her reverie.

She rolled her eyes. "What now Tyler?"

Tyler grinned down into Jo's pissed off face.

"Why am I always catching you in a mood, Ms. Masterson?"

"I don't know Tyler. Maybe you're just good at being clued into me. I kinda want to be alone if you don't mind."

"Well, I kinda do mind. I heard about what happened at school and I wanted you to know that I had nothing to do with it."

Jo looked at Tyler and climbed out of her car. "I know, Tyler. I know who did this but I just have to prove it."

"Who do you think did this?" Tyler asked honestly.

Jo wasn't sure she could trust Tyler just yet. "I really don't know if I can trust you enough to tell you at this time," Jo replied matter-of-factly.

Tyler nodded his head. "I understand that, Masterson. I respect that actually. Trust should be earned and not freely given. And then once I have earned your trust, then maybe we can go out on a date."

Jo side eyed him. "Why are you even interested in me? I'm sorry Tyler. You're a good looking guy and you seem nice enough but I'm not really understanding what game you're playing here."

"I'm not playing any game, Jo. I really do like you and I'm trying to express that to you. But, if you're not interested, just let me know."

Jo's hair blew into her face. She tilted her head to the side. She thought back to her conversation with Lacey about giving Tyler a chance. Sighing, Jo smiled.

Judy was taping her fingers against her hip as Lacey came through the back door.

"Young lady, it's past 11 o'clock on a school night! What is going on with you?"

Lacey was hoping to avoid her mother as she sneaked back into the house.

"I was over Danny's, mom," Lacey didn't even try to come up with an excuse.

Judy let out a breath and clasped her hands together. "Lacey I told you not to spend too much time over the Desai's house. I thought I made myself clear on that subject. You have brains and beauty and everything going for you and this is a small town. Small towns have small minded people and there has always been talk around Karen and especially Danny. That terrible fire and Tara dying. It's too much and I'm sorry but you won't be going over there anymore."

Lacey snapped. "WHAT?! Mom, Danny has done nothing to NO ONE! He came back to this small town with small minded people in it who hold him responsible for something that happened five years ago. He's been through enough and to top it all off, someone thought it was funny to take his school records and post personal information all over the school's website and everyone at school saw it! I was being a friend comforting him. Danny is important to me. I don't want anyone to hurt him."

Judy blanched, her eyes going big. "Who are you talking to Lacey Denise Porter? I understand that you are a loving and caring person but we can't get involved with people like that and I forbid you to go to his house ever again! Karen is unstable and I don't want anything happening to you. My mind is made up and I don't want to have to ground you until Fall Fest. Now get up to your room and go to bed!"

"But, mom…you really don't understand," Lacey said her voice raising, tears springing to her eyes.

"Oh, I understand that you're spending way too much time with him. What would Archie say? I haven't seen him over in weeks."

"MOM! Archie and I are over. I'm not even with him anymore!" Lacey raised her arms in exasperation, shaking her head.

"Oh, my baby," Judy said in a soothing tone walking over to hug Lacey. "Did he break up with you? How could he? You're perfect for one another. I just don't get…."

"Mom, Archie and I weren't perfect together." Lacey interrupted. "I didn't like being with him anymore. It didn't feel real and I'm in love with someone else."

Judy quieted. "Who do you think you're in love with, sweetheart?"

Lacey hated her mother's soothing tone and her hugging at this moment. "I don't think I'm in love. I know I'm in love. It's Danny. It's always been Danny, mom."

Regina marveled at Archie's deceitfulness. She was skeptical about Doug though. She had been closely monitoring him since Archie had let the cat out of the bag and Doug seemed like he was about to crack. She knew Archie had paid him well as she watched Doug dart quickly into the pet store. She didn't trust Doug. He had a conscience and surely he would blow their cover because of his guilt.

"Eloise, Doug is your good friend, is he not?" Regina said sliding her eyes towards Eloise, perched stoically in the seat next to Regina.

"Sure, Regina. What is this about exactly? It's not like you and I are exactly…friends. Just tell me what this is all about?"

Regina figured that Doug would crack so she decided to seek Eloise out and get the girl to keep Doug's mouth shut.

"I need you to remind Doug that he needs to remember what he could lose here should he decide to forget about an arrangement that was made with him." Regina flipped her visor down in her car to look at her make-up.

Eloise gave Regina a blank expression. "I don't even know what you're talking about, Regina."

Regina's eyes looked heavenward before she turned them onto Eloise's face. "You're not supposed to know, Eloise. Just give him this message. He needs to keep his damned mouth closed or else." Regina smiled widely.

Eloise shook her head. "Ok, is that it? Why couldn't you just tell him this yourself?"

Regina blinked. "Because I don't associate with underlings like you and Doug. You just make sure that he gets the message." Regina unlocked her car door. "You can get out of my car now."

Eloise smirked. "Sure, Queenie!" Eloise exited the car with great flourish.

Sarita had been trying to talk to Lacey for days but with no success. She watched as Lacey sat at a table with Jo and Rico. Danny hadn't been at school for a couple of days while the investigation was being done.

"I can't believe she'd rather be with those losers than us," Brendan stated sitting down next to Sarita.

"Well, would you sit with us?" Phoebe said staring at Brendan's face. "There's rumors going around that you and Archie had something to do with Danny's records getting out. It's no secret that your sister Ashley works in Principal's Rudolph's office."

Brendan turned white. "I don't know what you're getting at Phoebe. What rumors?"

Phoebe looked Brendan straight in his eyes. "I think you know what I mean. Did you have anything to do with this Brendan? I heard Danny's mom has her lawyers involved. Principal Rudolph has been interviewing students with their parent's permission and it's only going to get worse. If you know something, you better tell."

Brendan looked at Phoebe steely eyed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sarita and Phoebe both watched Brendan stand up quickly once he spotted Archie and left their table.

"He's such a bad liar," Sarita remarked.

"The worst kind of liar. I'm going to tell Lacey."

"Tell Lacey what?" Sarita snapped. "We don't have any evidence and she's not even talking to us. Danny is…ever since he came back she's been completely monopolized. I don't even know her anymore, that's if I knew her in the first place. She broke up with Archie for no reason and she hangs out with losers like Jo Masterson and Rico Martinez. God, Phoebe do you even have a clue?"

Phoebe looked over at the trio having lunch at the table a little ways away. "I don't think they're losers at all. Maybe we're the losers," Phoebe said getting up with her tray.

"Was it Doug or was it a voice that sounded like Doug's?" Jo questioned Lacey.

"It sounded like Doug, no question about that but the thing is the caller never confirmed who he was. He just stated that he knew it was wrong, he didn't want to get into trouble and to tell Danny that he was sorry."

Rico huffed, putting on his headphones. He was tired of Jo and Lacey Nancy Drew-ing since The Danny Desai Records Scandal became front page news. He was tired of hearing about it.

"You told Principal Rudolph?"

Lacey swallowed her food before she spoke. "I did earlier today but they don't have much to go on. I don't have a phone number and the caller never told me their name. So, it really could be only a dead end."

"I just can't believe that they may get away with it," Jo pounded her fist into her hand. "I haven't even seen Doug around today either. It's as if he's hiding out because of the guilt."

Lacey chewed slowly after seeing Eloise gather her lunch bag and throwing it into the trash. "Hey, Rico. Isn't Eloise Doug's friend?"

Jo tapped Rico on the shoulder to get his attention. Rico pulled off of his headphones with an agitated look on his face.

"Yes?"

Jo made a face. "What's your problem, Rico? You've been acting all kinds of asinine lately and that's not like you."

"I'm just trying to study. We do have a test coming up."

Jo turned fully towards Rico. "Is that girl Eloise friends with Doug?"

"Doug? You mean Doug Montgomery? Doug who is President of the chess club?"

Jo blinked. "Yeah, that would be him, Rico."

"Yeah, Eloise and Doug are friends. Why?"

"Have you even been listening to us? Of course you haven't. Lacey got a mysterious phone call the other night and the person sounded an awful like your buddy Doug."

"Whoa! Doug's not my buddy. We share a few classes and we are in the chess club together but we aren't friends. Why would Doug have anything to do with leaking Danny's records anyway? They don't even know each other."

"Precisely," Lacey cut in. "That's what I need to find out. I need to know what Doug could have gained by doing this."

"Hey Lacey, Rico, Jo," Phoebe said striding over waving.

"Hey Phoebe," Jo said waving back. Rico nodded his head and reached for his backpack. Lacey glared at Phoebe.

"Hey, now. I have nothing to do with what happened to Danny. I promise you on that. And as much as I don't like Sarita, I don't think she had anything to do with it either. But, I have seen Regina talking to Archie a lot lately."


	17. Chapter 17

"How much did you pay him?" Regina turned and asked Archie, who was sitting in her passenger seat.

"Twenty-five hundred dollars. The little nerd wants to buy some telescope and some other shit. He really wants popularity more than anything. I promised him that he and I could hang out for a few months, really just as long as I can stomach him."

"Well, I told that brace faced mule, Eloise to give that rat, Doug a message. He looks scared shitless which means that he could confess and then rat you out, Archie."

"He knows our deal. He wouldn't be that stupid."

Regina smirked. "Oh, you don't know much into the business of manipulation and intimidation. High school is a breeding ground for the haves and have nots, Archie. We will always have but people like Doug and Eloise are born to never have what we have. They secretly want it and will do anything to get it. This ain't Gossip Girl! I need to ensure that if I can't have Danny, then neither can Lacey. We need to find something on him that will make her hate him for the rest of his life."

Archie drummed his thigh. "Good luck with that. His records really weren't all that interesting. Some Doctor named Greenblatt treated him the most. Mostly for depression and panic attacks. He didn't talk for two years after the fire. His grandmother died when he was sixteen. He found her. His mom is hot as shit but she could be crazy. I can't have Lacey around all of that."

"Oh, please! You still want to be with Lacey?"

Archie looked perturbed. "What? I dated her for over six months. I'm supposed to just forget about her?" He looked over at Regina, feigning innocence. "Besides, I want to be the first one to hit that."

"Yes, you are. She's certainly forgotten about you or haven't you heard? You are her ex-boyfriend now and she's in love with Danny. You know it's true."

"I just wish he never came back to this school!" Archie said hitting the dashboard.

"Well, I still want to sleep with him. There's just something about him."

Archie rolled his eyes. "Ok, so you still want to sleep with Danny and I don't want him with Lacey. We need a plan."

Regina reached over and let her fingers meander down Archie's inside pants leg. "I'll drug him," Regina said smiling.

Archie chuckled. "Are you serious?"

"Sure, I'm serious. My dad's a pharmacist. I have access to all kinds of drugs. Why do you think I'm so popular? Well, good looks aside and all."

"Once Lacey finds out that Danny and I hooked up and we record it; that would break her little heart in two."

"You're so damned evil, Regina," Archie said grabbing her hand and placing it on his crotch. But, he had to admit that she excited him. Regina had a belief that she could do anything she wanted and get anything she wanted. He admired her confidence and sneakiness. He enjoyed having sex with her because she was wild and they had done it in public places recently. She definitely loved testing her boundaries.

"You're such a nasty girl," Archie snarled at her, grabbing her face.

Regina loved when Archie talked dirty to her. "Ooooh, daddy punish me," Regina said wiggling her hips into Archie's lap.

"How're things at school?" Danny asked Lacey as he handed her back his completed chemistry homework.

Lacey sighed. "School has become like CSI. Principal Rudolph and Chief Masterson are all over the place interviewing kids with their parents present. Everyone's taking sides. I think Doug called me the other night. I think Archie got him involved somehow because he's just about the only person I can think of who could hack into the school's website."

Danny nodded. "I don't want you getting all involved in this Lacey. Just let the school officials handle it. I'll be back in school next week. I'm over the school knowing that I was medicated or hospitalized." He moved closer to Lacey who was lying across his bed. "I just don't want you afraid of me or thinking that I am crazy."

Lacey sat up and took Danny's face into her hands. "I could never be afraid of you Danny and I don't think that you're crazy." Danny smiled in that heartwarming way that made Lacey's heart melt. He captured her lips in a kiss that started out purely innocent but the two teens suddenly couldn't keep their hands off of one another as Lacey's hands found their way into Danny's hair as she leaned further into him.

The sound of the front door opening and closing had Lacey and Danny pulling themselves apart quickly and scrambling around for Lacey's shoes.

"Danny!?" Karen's voice called up the steps.

"Hey mom!" Danny called back.

"Hey, Lacey!" Karen said a short time later.

"Hi, Mrs. Desai. I was just leaving."

"Oh, honey. No, you don't have to leave so soon."

Lacey was pretending to dodge Danny's kisses until he picked her up and tossed her onto his bed.

"Danny, don't tickle me!" Lacey laughed squirming over the bed.

"Mrs. Desai found out about the school play fiasco. She's launching a huge lawsuit against Green Grove Academy. I don't know how the school is going to downplay this," Jo said over the phone to Lacey as she was cleaning up her room.

"She needs to. The way I see it, the school has done nothing to protect Danny nor his rights as a student to go there. I'm thinking of talking to Archie by myself. Maybe he'll leak something to me," Lacey said filing her nails.

"I think you should stay away from him, Lacey. Archie seems dangerous and now that you're with Danny, it's just not a good look. I'm thinking of snooping around my dad's office. He usually keeps that stuff locked up but I know where the key is kept," Jo said with a smile.

Lacey laughed. "Sounds like you need to keep yourself out of trouble. We don't want you getting caught."

"Oh, yeah we don't…considering that Tyler asked me to go to Fall Fest with him."

Lacey screamed. "And? Did you accept or did you cut him off at the quick?"

"I accepted! I figure let me give him a chance and he is cute. If his intentions aren't really that honorable then I will know soon enough. The thing is, I have no idea what I want to wear. We need to go shopping."

"I agree. My mom is dragging me into New York this weekend to get a dress. Can you please go with us? I really don't think I can take her on by myself. I told her that Danny and I are together and she always has this look of disgust on her face," Lacey rolled her eyes.

"Well, she's a mom and Danny is considered the bad boy. You're a good girl and she doesn't understand how you were saved from truly being with a villain named Archie."

"If only she could see how great Danny was, maybe it would change her mind. I think dinner plans are in order for our families. I'm going to invite Mrs. Desai and Danny over tomorrow night."

"Oh, my gosh! To be a fly on the wall!"

"I think it's a great idea. At one time all of our moms were great friends. I think it would be good for them to catch up."

"You may have a point there. I do think you need to talk to Regina though. I sense that she knows more than she's letting on."

"You think her and Archie are co-conspirators?"

"Yes, I do. And while you talk to her, I'll talk to Eloise. I found out that Doug has been out sick. I find that extremely suspicious. Have you received another call?"

"Nope. But, it sounds like he may have been paid to keep his mouth closed. In any event, Porter and Masterson are on the case."


	18. Chapter 18

"Mom, I have something to ask you and it's pretty important that you say yes," Danny said approaching Karen in the living room.

Karen blinked rapidly and sighed. "Okay, Danny what is it?"

"Lacey has invited you and me to her house for dinner tomorrow night. Please say yes."

Karen looked into the hopeful eyes of her son. The son who at times she really didn't know, but always loved. She still saw her therapist and things had been better between the two of them. She still grappled with the guilt of not being in Danny's life for the past five years and she wanted all of his days to be happy. She knew that she would deny him nothing if he asked her. Seeing Judy Porter again would take every effort of her will to be civil. They hadn't talked in over ten years and Karen really didn't want to get that look she had been getting from the locals all throughout dinner. People could be so ignorant and backward in small towns. But, Danny was in love.

Karen smiled brightly. "Okay. We'll go. I'll pick out something nice to wear and bring some wine and flowers. I haven't seen Judy in ages. This should be interesting."

Danny was elated. He couldn't wait to tell Lacey that he and Karen were coming over. Lacey did admit that Judy wasn't too happy about her and Danny dating but she was willing to sit down and have a nice dinner and discuss it sensibly. Lacey said her mother said sensibly and used her fingers for air quotes.

Danny looked at his phone at Lacey's last text message. "I hope this is a good idea," he whispered more to himself, but Karen overheard him.

Rico was beside himself. He tossed his bookpack onto his desk spilling the contents onto the floor. He looked down at his phone that he was holding and saw that Jo was calling him again. He slid his thumb across the screen to ignore it. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Jo. Not for a while at least. He had learned through the grapevine that Jo had been asked to Fall Fest by Tyler Jeffries. Rico wanted to vomit. He couldn't believe it. He was about to ask Jo that afternoon and Tyler beat him to it. It wasn't the fact that Tyler had asked Jo. It was the fact that Jo readily accepted. Just a few weeks ago she was ignoring Tyler completely and just like that, she was going to Fall Fest with him.

Unsteadily, Rico found his way to his bed and collapsed on it. He was sick. Ill. Heartbroken. How could she? His phone rang again and he threw the damned thing on the ground where it bounced on the carpet. Face down he buried his head in his pillow. He didn't realize how long he had laid there but it became quite apparent that he wasn't allow in his room.

"Your mom let me in," Jo said scooting a chair up to Rico's bed. "We need to talk."

Rico rolled over and looked up to the ceiling. "I've never even had a girlfriend but I'm smart enough to know that when a girl says we need to talk, it ain't good."

Jo waved her hand in front of Rico's face. "Can you look at me, please?"

Rico finally complied after counting invisible dots to delay time. "What?"

"Okay rudeness. I wish I would have told you about going to Fall Fest with Tyler before you found out from someone else. Don't you think it's time that we address what this is, Rico?"

Rico sat up quickly. "We addressed what what is, Jo?"

Jo's eyes softened and she smiled. "I love you, Rico. I do. You're like the bestest friend…ever. No one could ask for a better friend than you. When Danny left and Lacey and I stopped talking to one another, I thought my world would end and there you were in that park that day and I was sitting on the swing crying. You gave me a dandelion. I still have it. Lacey and Danny helped me realize that you are attracted to me. That you may even feel more for me. I'm sorry that I neglected to even see it. I'm sorry that I hurt you but believe me when I say that that's the last thing that I ever wanted to do."

Rico blinked. How could he be mad at Jo? It wasn't her fault that she didn't like him in that way. Attraction is what it is. "I just wanted to ask you first. I do love you, Jo. I have crushed on you for years and I never knew how to tell you. It never seemed like the right time. I never could get up the nerve and the one time that I do…someone beat me to it."

Jo took Rico's hand in hers. "Rico, you always have me. We're always going to be close, no matter what. It's just a date with Tyler. That's all."

Rico nodded. He would always love Jo and he couldn't just turn his feelings off for her but he understood. "Well, I'm asking you here and now to go to the Junior Prom with me."

Jo laughed hugging him. "Yes, Rico. I'll go to the junior prom with you. And I still want you to go to Fall Fest. You know you don't want to miss it."

"I can't miss it. My mom has me running her quilting booth. Ugh, as if my popularity couldn't sink any lower!"

"Aww, your mom makes the best stuff. I can't wait to see it this year."

Rico cleared his throat. "I know we just did the confess thing and made up thing but I'm still not ready to see you with another guy, especially if you stop by mom's booth. You'll be a knock out and I would be standing there all nerdy and needy wishing it were me."

Jo's heart melted. This side of Rico she had never seen before. He wasn't stammering or goofy. He wasn't at a loss for words. He seemed confident and sure of his feelings. He seemed different but the same.

On impulse, Jo moved closer to Rico and gently kissed his lips. Rico was shocked. The kiss was brief but it was his first one and he reached for her chin and kissed her back.

It was Jo's turn to be shocked. The kiss was surprisingly good. Rico's lips were soft and pliant under hers. They both pulled apart at the sound of Rico's mom running the vacuum cleaner down below.

"Oh…umm…err….yeahhhhhhhhh," both teens said at the same time.

"I better go," Jo said quickly scooting the chair back up to Rico's desk. "I'll see you at school, Rico."

Jo quickly left the room and hit the stairs two at a time. She didn't even notice Mrs. Martinez waving goodbye at her.

Rico jumped up to see Jo practically running to her car. She started it and backed out slowly out of the driveway. He kept watch at the window until he couldn't see her anymore. He licked his lips with his tongue. He could still taste her.

"I'm not giving up, Jo."

Lacey was nervous. She placed the last pin in her hair with shaky hands. Loose curls fell carelessly down her right shoulder. She swiped the longer pieces of hair in the front to the side to caress the side of her face. Lacey decided on a red cashmere cropped sweater and black mini skirt. She pulled on some black tights with patterns etched within them. She couldn't decide on what shoes to wear. It was times like these that she really missed Clara, but Clara had decided to live with their father last year. Clara was thirteen and growing up so fast. It was a fight between her parents when Clara wanted to leave Judy but Judy and Samuel didn't get along. Their fights became too much for both girls to handle. Seeing Samuel camped out in one of the guest rooms became all too commonplace. Then the word divorce crept in subtle at first but it grew more pronounced on the day Lacey's parents sat her and Clara down two years ago.

Lacey wished she could say that she ranted and raved. Quite the opposite really. She grew quiet while Clara went off as any eleven-year-old could with wrecking sobs and screams. She accused both parents of being selfish and Lacey was actually proud of Clara for standing up to them and doing what she didn't have the guts to do. Lacey realized she was too busy trying to be the crowning jewel in both of her parent's eyes to really feel any emotion. Clara made the decision then and there to go with their father. Judy protested loudly against that. She even tried to fight it in court for a while, but Clara vehemently told her that if she kept it up, she would grow to hate her and never speak to her again once she got older. That seemed to frighten Judy deeply and so she backed off and let her youngest daughter move to California. Clara would come to visit on winter breaks and summer vacation but it wasn't the same. Clara had become more and more like a woman and less like a little kid every time Lacey saw her. They were best friends and she couldn't wait to tell her about tonight's dinner. Selecting a pair of suede black stilettoed booties with silver zippers on them, Lacey smiled to herself. These were the booties that Clara had picked out for her when they went shopping in New York last Christmas.

Karen took a deep breath as she and Danny pulled into the wraparound driveway of Judy Porter's house. It was gorgeous of course. It reminded Karen of a house out of Better Homes and Gardens. Perfectly manicured lawns and lighting highlighted the utter perfectness of everything else.

Before Danny could ring the doorbell, Lacey was pulling the door open.

"Hey, Danny. Mrs. Desai," Lacey said with a wide grin.

Danny stopped in his tracks. He tried to keep his eyes off of Lacey and look anywhere else but at her but he was failing miserably. He loved her legs. To him, besides the dimples, they were the next best thing on her body. Okay, he was lying again he loved everything about her body. But she had on a cropped sweater which was showing a small bit of her stomach and that was going to drive him crazy the entire night. He imagined how those legs felt wrapped around his waist and how her skin felt.

"Earth to Danny. Hello?" Judy said waving her hand in front of Danny's face.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Porter. I was just…your home is beautiful. Thank you for inviting us over."

"Oh, thank you," Judy replied modestly. "I was just telling your mom that I prefer to go by my maiden name again which is Foster."

Danny blushed a little embarrassed and looked at his mother who gave him a reassuring smile. He wasn't paying attention to the first few minutes of whatever Judy was talking about so he missed the don' -anymore conversation.

After that the foursome stood in the foyer rather awkwardly before Lacey grabbed Danny's hand and they briefly hugged. It was far too brief for Lacey who loved the casual suit that Danny decided to wear. It was just right without being pretentious. He wore his hair down just like she liked it. Lacey hugging Danny broke the tension.

"Well, Karen let me show you around a little bit. Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes," Judy announced taking Karen by the arm and walking to the back of the house.

Lacey watched her mother lead Karen off until they were out of sight.

"I thought they would never leave," Lacey said pulling Danny into her for a kiss.

Danny smiled before he planted his lips on Lacey's. His arms encircled her as his fingers danced on her bare skin.

Lacey pulled away slowly, nuzzling Danny's neck with her nose. Danny loved when Lacey did that. They heard their mom's voices coming from around the corner and they quickly pulled apart, standing next to one another.

"Dinner's ready, you two." Karen announced from the doorway.


	19. Chapter 19

**I wanted to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews of my very first fan-fic on this website. Thank you to all of you who decided to read it and leave comments and favorite it and follow it. My sincerest gratitude to all of you. *air kisses***

Lacey couldn't be more pleased with how well the dinner was going. Judy and Karen started reminiscing about old times when they were younger. Danny was so proud of his mom for accepting the invitation and she seemed like she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Everything seemed to change of course when the conversation took a turn towards Lacey and Danny dating.

Judy cleared her throat, placing her napkin delicately beside her plate. She looked at Lacey and Danny sitting beside one another rather closely. They were too young to be in love. It couldn't be love, Judy thought to herself. But they had these knowing glances and secret smiles and giggles. Judy didn't like it at all.

"Lacey I do think that you and Danny need to explore just being friends again before entering into a serious relationship. Teenagers can be so fickle with their feelings running both hot and cold," Judy said tersely.

The mood definitely shifted at the table. Lacey looked up and gave her mom a frosty look, instantly upset at Judy's comment.

Danny instantly reached out and grabbed Lacey's hand under the table. He had already been stroking her knee and thigh. He could not sit beside her and not touch her. It was impossible.

"Mom, I'm not a child. I told you that I love Danny. That I was in love with Danny. And I am," Lacey responded squeezing Danny's hand.

Judy smiled bitterly. "You're young Lacey. Love can be sufferable as well. People change and you find out things about people that you thought you knew. You find that you didn't know them at all. You can get your heart broken when you give too much. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I think Lacey is a very bright young lady. So smart and beautiful and loving, Judy. I don't think they are doing anything wrong. It is how they feel," Karen offered up her opinion taking a sip of wine.

Judy glanced in Karen's direction. "With all due respect, Karen Lacey is my daughter and I didn't raise her to be around controversy. Danny is a great young man I'm sure, but not for my Lacey."

Danny put his fork down and looked at Judy. "Ms. Foster I have loved Lacey my entire life. I am not without flaws or faults. But, I would never do anything to hurt her. I know you think that Archie is a better guy than I am but I'm telling you that he is not. I can read Lacey by just looking at her. I read her face and I know how she is feeling. It's been like that since we were kids. I love her," Danny said again looking directly at Lacey in that way that would melt her. She blushed visibly.

"Danny, I'm sure you're a nice young man but you're just…you're just not…good enough for Lacey," Judy offered up finally.

Karen's voice rose. "Excuse me? Did you say that my son isn't good enough to date your daughter? Are you even serious right now, Judy?"

"Karen, I know it sounds offensive and forgive me for saying it but Lacey is my daughter and I'm on the Women's League and I'm on all kinds of committees in and around town. You have to align yourselves with the right people here or you get stonewalled. Lacey is going to go to Yale or Harvard. Either one. I went to Yale and her dad went to Harvard. Any daughter of mine has to have the best in life in everything and that includes her friends, boyfriends, husband, car, house. Everything."

Karen scoffed. "You're still a stuck up bitch! You were when we were kids and you still are. This ain't high school for us, Judy. We are far too old to be trying to run our kids' lives. Danny is a wonderful son. He's a wonderful person. Lacey sees it and it's a shame that you don't but I won't continue to sit here and listen to you bash his character. You don't even know him. You're soooo busy trying to live Lacey's life that you are missing out in living your own. You're just sad!" Karen got up so suddenly that her chair fell back behind her. "Danny we're leaving!" Karen announced marching her way to the foyer.

"Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way, Karen. I wasn't trying to offend or hurt you. But, it's the truth. It's how people like us who have money live. We want the best for our kids."

Karen whirled around while buttoning her coat. "You don't think I want the best for Danny? I may not have the money that you have Judy but I'm not destitute. Danny is well taken care of and so am I. Danny has chosen Lacey and she has chosen him. Why won't you accept it and move on before you create deep resentment with yet another daughter."

"You bitch!" Judy whispered. "How dare you! Clara chose to live with Samuel!"

Lacey was so upset that she couldn't even speak.

"Hey," Danny whispered. He tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. He loved her eyes. She had tears pooling in their depths.

"Don't cry." He lifted Lacey easily from her chair and onto his lap. Lacey wiped the tears away with a flustered hand. She laid her head on Danny's shoulder, crying silently into his neck. "Shh, baby. It's ok. Hold on to me. I'll never leave you," Danny said kissing her lightly on her nose.

"Well, you just get out of my house!" Judy said with her hands on her hips.

"Not a damn problem, Judy. And I won't ever come back!" Karen responded. "Danny!" Karen called. "Let's go!"

When the two teens reluctantly emerged from the dining room, Karen could see that Lacey had been crying. Her heart softened as well as her tone.

"I'm sorry, Lacey. For everything. It really was a good idea," Karen hugged Lacey. "I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Oh, no you won't. Lacey you're grounded until Fall Fest. I don't want you dating Danny. And if you persist to keep doing it, you will find your behind in California with your father!" Judy shouted.

Lacey broke her silence, her eyes filled with hurt and anger.

"Mom you can't. I didn't do anything! Grounded for what?"

"Because I said so. No phone, no visits from friends. No Danny. Now let go of his hand and tell him goodbye."

"Judy, don't you think you're taking things a little too far?"

Judy looked at Karen. "Take your son and leave my house, now!"

Karen shook her head. "You're a piece of work. All of this time you stay constructing your perfect little life with your perfect little home. And you will find yourself alone in it."

Karen took hold of Danny's arm and gently pulled him towards the door. He didn't want to drop Lacey's hand but Judy came up and broke their contact when she slid in between the two. "Say goodbye to Danny, Lacey."

Lacey crossed her arms. "Danny, you and Mrs. Desai have a good night. I'll see you in school Danny."

Judy seemed satisfied with that and she opened the door for Karen and Danny.

Danny's eyes remained on Lacey's face until the door was closed in his. He couldn't believe Lacey's mom hated him. She was cool when they were kids but time changes some things.

"That woman is unreal. Danny I'm so sorry. You know you aren't any of those things that witch said about you. No one talks about you like that and gets away with it."

Danny wasn't even upset about anything Judy said about him. He was more upset about Judy saying that he couldn't date Lacey. His Lacey. He couldn't just not be without her. Five years he thought he was going to die. He was used to Jo and Lacey and him. All he wanted to do is be a normal teenager dating and falling in love. It seemed with every turn he was being tripped up with one obstacle after another. He wasn't going to let nothing and no one stop him from being with Lacey.

"Mom, do you mind if I borrow the car later tonight?" Danny asked. Karen knew what he had in mind and she encouraged him wholeheartedly.

"Absolutely," she replied with a wide grin.

Lacey was devastated. She promptly went up to her room and locked her door. She didn't want to even look at her mother. She yanked the pins out of her hair and washed her face of the make-up. She changed out of her clothes so fast, she ripped a hole in her tights. She threw them into her trash can with a curse. She pulled on a pair of gray baggy lounging pants with a matching camisole and hoodie. Pulling her hair into a high ponytail, she placed her glasses on and found her journal. She wrote ferociously for fifteen minutes. When she started getting hand cramps she stopped. Judy had knocked on her door to talk to her but Lacey ignored her as she turned on her television.

Lacey couldn't stop thinking of Danny. She couldn't even text him or call him on the phone. She could video chat with him by using her laptop but she didn't ask Danny did he have that app on his phone or computer. She was rolling over on her side when she heard it. It was a plink sound.

Lacey grabbed her dad's old Louisville Slugger and walked cautiously to her bedroom window. She saw a shadow come closer to the window. Lacey switched her lamp on and was about to bash whoever was out there, when she saw Danny's eyes staring back at her. She nearly jumped for joy as she put the bat down and threw open her window.

Danny came into the window and instantly took Lacey into his arms. He dropped a small duffle bag onto her floor.

"Guess who's spending the night?" Danny said with a smile.

"You are!" Lacey said jumping into his arms kissing and hugging him. Lacey pulled him off of her window seat and closed the window tightly. She turned the t.v. up so that her mom wouldn't know Danny was in her room.

"I borrowed my mom's car and I told her that I had to come back and make sure you were alright."

Lacey smiled, unleashing her dimples. Danny kissed each one.

"Awww, you're so sweet. Your mom is so cool. She trusts us. I appreciate that. My mom is into beauty pageants and the right schools and knowing the right people. It's sickening," Lacey took Danny's hands in hers.

"Well, you are pretty, Lacey. Always was," Danny said kissing Lacey's hand.

"Thank you, Danny. I can't believe you're here. I'm so happy," Lacey couldn't help blushing. "And I can't seem to keep my hands off of you." They kissed gently but with much passion. Danny switched positions so that he was laying on top of Lacey. He rocked his body against hers as her hands came up around his waist and up his back.

Lacey pulled her mouth from Danny's. "Will you be my date to Fall Fest?"

Danny licked his lips and looked at her intently. "No. Will you be my date to Fall Fest?"

Lacey giggled and squirmed underneath of him. "Yes. Jo and I are going to New York this weekend to look for dresses. Well, maybe not since mom has grounded me and all, but since it's for festivities that are in her best interests, my day trip may still be on."

"Hmm, okay. And what color are you wearing?"

"I'm thinking of something black, lace and nude."

Danny's eyebrows lifted. "You're going to be showing some skin?"

"Not a lot. Just a little." Lacey held up her thumb and index finger a little ways apart. "You're going to love it."

"I would love you in a burlap sack too," Danny said with a smirk.

Lacey smiled and looked up at Danny. She loved his face. The deep, dark brown eyes with the long eyelashes. The beautiful mouth and long, dark hair. His smooth unblemished skin.

"What are you looking at?" Danny asked.

"You," Lacey whispered. "You should model. You have a model's build. A model's pretty face."

Danny made a face. "Thank you. But men shouldn't be pretty. Men are handsome. Women are pretty. You're pretty," he said kissing the side of her neck.

"What's your favorite part of my body?" Lacey stated in a sexy tone.

Danny knew where this conversation was headed. "Your entire body is my favorite part."

"Great answer, Desai." Lacey replied nibbling his lips.

"Okay, we need to stop and go to bed," Danny announced. He felt himself becoming aroused and he didn't need to be arrested for having sex in his girlfriend's house with her mom present.

Lacey pouted. "Okay." Danny got up and kissed her on her nose. He went into her bathroom and changed out of his dress clothes into some sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Lacey was already under the covers with her hoodie and glasses off. Danny got under the covers and they both instantly were drawn to one another. Danny dropped kisses along Lacey's shoulders as he reached over her to turn off the lamp. She snuggled her bottom into his crotch as they spooned one another. Danny backed up a little as not to be directly on Lacey's behind but every time he did, she backed up into him again.

He laughed and Lacey felt his chest rumble through her back.

"What? I want to keep my ass comfortable so stop moving," Lacey whispered.

"You better stop before I give you what you're asking for," Danny replied back.

Lacey didn't answer. Instead she acted like she was asleep and stayed still for several minutes and then when Danny's breathing seemed to relax and become more even, she rolled her hips seductively into him.

Danny gasped his eyes snapping open. Lacey giggled quietly to herself as she felt the familiar hardness of him.

Danny smirked and pushed his hips into her and it was Lacey's turn to gasp as Danny quietly dropped a kiss to her neck.


	20. Chapter 20

Jo wasn't exactly avoiding Rico but she wasn't exactly looking for him either. She kept reminding herself that she had to find Eloise and she had no time to let her mind wander to the kiss that she and Rico shared. It wasn't like Rico wasn't cute. He was downright adorable, sweet and funny but he was Rico. Her Rico. She had to focus on the task at hand and that was helping Danny. Granted, Danny didn't even ask her to help him. But, she needed to do this. She needed to be pleasantly and blissfully distracted. Plus no one did that to her family and got away with it.

Jo spotted Eloise going into the library. Jo waited a beat and went in herself, quickly scanning the tables for Eloise. She finally spotted her all the way in the back walking down an aisle.

"Hey, Eloise. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jo whispered.

Eloise turned around and saw Jo standing next to her.

"Hi, Jo. What do you need to talk to me about?" Eloise asked perplexed.

Jo motioned for them to sit down at a cubby for privacy.

Jo took a breath. "It's about Danny."

Eloise shook her head. "I don't even know him, Jo."

"Eloise I know you don't know him but he's a good friend of mine. I need to know what you know about the mass text that was sent from the school's server."

"I don't know anything about it. I got the text right along with everybody else."

Jo poked out her mouth and pondered her next question. "I think Doug sent the mass text. I think Archie put him up to it. He's the only one I can think of who knows how to hack. Also, he's been mysteriously absent since the link was sent."

Eloise swallowed audibly. "I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I think it's the right thing to do. Regina told me to give Doug a message."

Jo perked up. "What kind of message?"

"Regina told me to tell Doug that he needed to keep his mouth shut about some arrangement that was made with him." Jo started to say something but Eloise held her hand up. "And before you ask…I do not know what arrangement she was talking about."

"So, you gave Doug the message, right?"

"Yeah, I did. I told him later on in film class that day."

"How did he seem when you told him?"

Eloise took her time to answer. She glanced around nervously.

Jo prodded. "Eloise, please. If you know anything please tell me now. What Danny went through was his business and his business alone. Whoever did this to him had no right to interfere in his personal life and humiliate him. He did nothing to no one here. He's just trying to be normal in a town of people who hate him. Please tell me. How did he seem?"

"He seemed upset. His face was flushed. He just kept repeating that he shouldn't have done it. But he wouldn't tell me what he shouldn't have done. He ran out of the room and I didn't see him anymore that day. I tried calling and texting him and he wouldn't answer. His mom told me that he would be out for a couple of days because he was sick."

Jo didn't even mince words. "Eloise, I need Doug's home address."

Danny was due back in school the next day and Lacey knew that she had to have a talk with Regina before then. She and Regina really hadn't talked to one another since Lacey broke up with Archie and Regina seemed to purposely avoiding her.

"Regina, can I talk to you for a second?" Lacey said. She wasn't waiting around for an answer as she practically pushed Regina into the girl's bathroom.

"Well, you sure didn't even give me a chance to say no, Lacey." Regina shrugged Lacey's grip off of her shoulder and went to the bathroom sink to readjust her make-up.

"Why would you even tell me no, Regina? We're still cool. Right?" Lacey said with a straight face.

Regina eyed Lacey in the mirror. "Cool?" Regina laughed to herself. "We haven't been exactly cool since you decided to hang out with your ole buddies again. How soon we forget who was there to comfort you when Danny left and destroyed your childhood and Jo was walking around like a comatose shell. Now you have them back and you don't need me and Sarita anymore."

Lacey crossed her arms and nodded her head. "This isn't about the past Regina. This is about the present. While I do acknowledge that you were kind to me during the moments that I needed someone, please don't confuse the two. And leave Sarita out of this. I will deal with her in due time. This is about you and Archie."

For the first time Regina actually let her emotions show and became concerned whether or not Lacey knew of her and Archie's sexual romps.

"Me…me and Archie?" Regina laughed. "Lacey I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lacey snorted. "Please don't lie to me. I know, Regina. I know about you two."

Regina blinked hard. Did Archie say something to Lacey? That asshole couldn't keep his mouth closed to save his life. What did she know? How much did she know?

"You know what exactly?" Regina still had to hold out that Lacey was talking about something else.

Lacey was losing patience. "Can you cut the shit, Regina and be truthful for once in your life. I know what you did. What I want to know is why did you do it? How could you do it?" Lacey moved closer to Regina.

Regina backed up into the sink. "It didn't mean anything, Lacey. I swear it didn't. We were just messing around and we were drunk. So we did it the one time and then again." Regina was waving her hands around and trying to explain. "You wasn't supposed to find out like this. Did he tell you?"

Lacey couldn't believe what Regina just said. Archie had been having sex with Regina. "How long have you guys been having sex? Has it been all throughout the six months he and I dated?"

"Wait a second? He didn't tell you? It was at a party I threw three months ago. And recently…well it was after you two broke up. It was like twice or so. I'm sorry, ok?"

Lacey laughed bitterly. "I don't even care, Regina. I was right to break up with Archie. We were only in a relationship for six months and three of those months you two were carrying on behind my back. I'm glad you had him because he will never get a chance to touch me. I haven't spoken to Archie. I was referring to the mass text that was sent out. I know Archie had something to do with it. And once I get all of the evidence that I need, I will have him expelled and anyone else who helped him. You are a complete slut, Regina. Who screws their supposed best friend's boyfriend while they are drunk? You two deserve one another, honestly." Lacey exited the bathroom without a backward glance.

"Shit," Regina muttered.

Jo knocked on Doug's front door cautiously.

"Oh, hi Ms. Montgomery. My name is Jo Masterson and I'm a classmate of Doug's. I brought over his homework." Jo indicated the folder that she was holding in her hands.

Ms. Montgomery nodded. "Oh, hello Jo. I thought Eloise was stopping by to drop off his homework."

Jo didn't miss a beat. "Yes, she was but something came up and she asked me to come instead. I hope that's ok."

"Oh, yes it's perfectly fine. Thank you so much for coming over. Come in."

After Jo made pleasantries with Doug's mom, she followed her upstairs to Doug's room. Doug almost choked on his tongue when he saw Jo standing there with his mom.

"Hey Doug, Eloise couldn't make it so she sent me instead. I hope you are recovering nicely," Jo smiled with force.

After Ms. Montgomery left them alone Jo placed the folder on Doug's desk and took a seat. Doug was sitting nervously on his bed.

"You don't look that sick to me," Jo started. "In fact you look like you're hiding out."

Doug coughed. "I am sick. Every time I think about going back to school my stomach gets tied all in knots and I begin to vomit," Doug said in a monotone.

"Sounds like guilt to me. I don't really care about your bodily functions, Doug. I think you know why I'm here. I need you to admit that you were the one who sent the mass text and that Archie put you up to it."

Doug began to blink rapidly. "I—I—don't know wha—what you—re talking about."

"You are acting like a horrible person, Doug. Danny never did anything to you and here you sit hiding in your house, in your room like a coward."

Doug got up and began to pace. "You don't understand," he muttered wiping his sweaty forehead with his hand. "You just don't get it!"

Jo scrunched up her mouth. "Oh, I get it just fine. I get how you felt like a no body with no friends and nothing good going on in your life. I get that. I get how you felt that by helping out some loser ass jock and tramp of the school would somehow make you feel important. Archie probably paid you and told you that he'd let you sit at the table with the cool kids and you bought it. Am I doing ok so far?"

Doug swallowed. "You're good at this."

Jo nodded. "Yep, I am. That's what all of that being the daughter of the Chief of Police can do for you."

"Now tell me the truth. Clear your conscience. This isn't who you are, Doug."

Doug jumped up. "And how would you know who I am? I talk to two people at school regularly. Eloise and sometimes Rico. People don't notice me in the hallways. People treat me like I'm invisible and it hurts. I am the guy that people come to when they want something. They want me to write a paper for them or," Doug hesitated. "Or even hack into the school's central server and send an anonymous email detailing some very private information of someone. I did it! I sent it! I seized my opportunity to not be a loser anymore. I feel horrible for what I did." Doug broke down crying.

Jo actually felt sorry for him and got up to hand him some tissue that she found on his desk. She patted him lightly on the back.

"Doug you have to tell the truth. You have to. I may not know you as a friend but I hope I know you as a person. I'm not popular, Doug. Up until I was eleven I had two friends. I had Lacey and Danny. We are bonded by tragedy, yes, but we are bonded by so much more than that. We are family. Doug here's a piece of advice for you. High school doesn't last always. You get to reinvent yourself as much as you want. You're amazingly talented and smart. You will go to an Ivy League school and ten years from now at our reunion you will get the last laugh, this I'm sure of. Middle finger to the sky," Jo said making Doug laugh as he grabbed a tissue.

"I have never cried in front of a girl before let alone had one in my room," Doug said.

"Well, first time for everything, right?" Jo got up to leave, smoothing down her pants.

"Hey, can you be with me when I go in to talk to Principal Rudolph?"

Jo smiled. "Sure. I won't let you go by yourself. And thank you, Doug. Thank you for being one of the good guys."

Doug shook his head. "No, thank you for reminding me that I am one of the good guys."


End file.
